Tenchi Muyo! Yggdrasil
by Psyco Panda
Summary: A Tenchi Muyo!Ah! My Goddess! x-over. The Masaki house gets a new guest, a goddess. A goddess first class to be specific, but not who you think. Soon the Masaki house is getting visits from Goddesses and Demons who only make more trouble for Tenchi.
1. Chapter 1: A very wrong number

Note: I don't own either the Ah! My Goddess! Characters or Tenchi Muyo! characters. If I did, I would be a very rich (not to mention talented) man. I'm just writing this fic because I enjoy writing, and enjoy those two mangas. If you want to sue me, fine, but keep in mind I have less then $100 in my checking account at any given time, and I'm giving free advertisement with this fic. Now that the legal info is over, enjoy me newest creation. Also note, that I make a cameo in all my work. Not really a self insertion, just one or two lines. Just be aware.

Timeline notes: This takes place in the Tenchi OAV universe after OAV 13, and sometime after the manga volume "The fourth goddess", but before "Childhoods end".

Yggdrasil: Chapter one; The most right wrong number ever

Tenchi's House, on a quiet night

Two figures stood in the dwindling sunlight. One was a man, the other… a goddess. He beheld the goddess in all her beauty. She was magnificent. Perfect hair, perfect features, seemingly chiseled from the finest marble.

" I will grant you only one wish. Choose wisely." She said, and her voice sweetly flowed like honey. He was quiet for a moment, though he knew what his wish was. Her beauty was intoxicating. " Simply choose your hearts desire."

" I can only think of one thing to wish for." He said.

" Then this should not be hard. What is it that you wish?"

" I wish for a goddess like you, to be with me for the rest of my life." He wished. The goddess gasped, but then the room filled with light, and the wish was granted. The goddess would never leave him for the rest of his life.

Sometime later,

' Now I remember why I hate road trips.' Tenchi thought, as Ayeka and Ryoko bickered over who crossed who's side of the car seat the other was on. Tenchi and the gang were on they're way back from Tokyo, visiting a friend of Yosho's who ran a Shinto temple there. Originally it had only been Tenchi and Yosho who were supposed to go, but Ryoko had found out, and then Ayeka had refused to leave him alone with Ryoko, and if you've been paying attention to any Tenchi series, you know how these things happen.

They'd spent a nice weekend in Tokyo playing tourists, and things had been fine while everyone could get away from each other. Unfortunately, they had all been stuck for several hours in the cramped family van, and it was starting to grate on everyone's nerves. Well, almost everyone. All right, just Ryoko and Ayeka. Sasami was asleep in the shotgun position. Tenchi was sitting in the back seat with Washu and Mihoshi, who was thankfully taking a nap, and Ayeka and Ryoko in the middle seat. Tenchi had wanted to separate the two, but no one, especially not him, wanted to be stuck in-between the two, and they would not accept one sitting closer to Tenchi then the other. Yosho was driving, and Tenchi could tell he was more then a little annoyed at it all.

Washu had suggested she too could take a nap, with her head in his lap, but he had quickly shot that idea down, though it probably wouldn't have mattered if Ayeka and Ryoko hadn't taken a brief break to shout at her. Now she was working on her computer, and grinding her teeth as they argued. Ayeka and Ryoko had found been bickering abut anything, from who got to sit in front of Tenchi, to who spent the most time with Tenchi in Tokyo.

" We agreed that you would stay on that cushion, and I would stay on this one." Ayeka shouted. Ryoko reached over and touched the cushion Ayeka was on.

" Touch touch touch princess. What are you gonna do about it?" Ryoko goaded with a smirk. Ayeka fumed, and was about to summon her guardians, probably destroying the car.

" Hey! You two stop this, we're almost home and we don't need you to wreck the van." Tenchi leaned forward and said to them.   
" She started it!" Ayeka said.

" No, she did!" Ryoko countered.

" That's outrageous!" Ayeka retorted. The two glared at each other, and were about to lunge for each others throats.

" All right, Little Ryoko, switch places with me." Washu said. " If I have to listen to you to scream at each other I swear I'll blow the planet up."

" What? I'm not going to let Tenchi sit next to Ayeka. And don't call me little." Ryoko replied angrily.

" All right then, you two come back here. Ayeka, you climb over, Ryoko you can teleport back here. I thought you two could handle it for a few hours, but I guess not." They blinked in surprise as it soaked in. Then scrambled trying to get back. They didn't get far. " Hey look we're home, never mind then." He said, breathing a sigh of relief as his ploy to buy time worked. He opened the door even as the car was slowing and hopped out. Sasami woke up with a yawn, and sleepily hopped out too, followed by everyone else. Ayeka and Ryoko got out first, still bickering, and walked back to the house at the same time, saying how glad they were to not have to be near each other. As Tenchi opened the hatch in the back, Yosho came around to speak to him.

" Tenchi. This trip was meant to further your training. It was not as helpful as it could have been. You know what that means." He said sternly. Tenchi gulped.

" Double training for a week?" He sighed. And Yosho nodded, and started down the path to the house.

" Lord Tenchi." Washu said stepping out of the van. " I had a great time. Thank you." She said, with a smile and a nod. Sasami stretched her arms.

" Yes, thanks Tenchi. I loved Tokyo!" she said, hugged him and ran off, Tenchi realizing, leaving him alone with the luggage. He sighed, and started unpacking. The driveway ended well short of the house, and you had to go over a hill and across a wooden path above the lake. Picking up two large bags, Tenchi started up the hill.

" Grandpa could have helped me at least." Tenchi muttered. The bags were stuffed full to bursting. " Did the girls really need all this stuff for two days?" As he stumbled to the top of the hill, he heard Sasami calling him.

" Tenchi! Tenchi!" She said, a little too worried for Tenchi to like. He dropped the bags and started running. Sasami met him halfway across the lake. He could see in the distance Ayeka, Ryoko, and Mihoshi were standing in front of the house. Something seemed strange about it.

" What is it Sasami?" Tenchi said.

" Your house, it's different." She said. Tenchi looked but still couldn't figure out was wrong. " There are all these rose bushes in front now." That was it. Tenchi jogged over and took a look. Indeed, there were rose bushes all in front of his house. In all colors, red, white, black, yellow, green, and blue. Tenchi hadn't even know they made green and blue roses.

" Oh Tenchi, thank you so much." Ayeka said, running over to embrace him.

" You had these planted while we were gone just for me didn't you?"

" Of course not, Ayeka." Ryoko said. " He did it just for me, didn't you Tenchi?"

" No, really." Tenchi backpedaled warily. " I have no idea what's going on." Tenchi was relieved as they seemed to believe him.

" Well if Tenchi did have these put in, who did?" Ayeka asked. She reached over and gently touched one.

" Um… Tenchi." Mihoshi said curiously. " Your house is all weird inside." Mihoshi pointed towards the window of the family room. Tenchi looked in and gasped. He ran to the front door and flung it open, and rubbed his eyes in disbelief. The entire family room was different. The floor, once plain wood, had been completely replaced with polished white marble. The window walls were framed by beautiful and full silken drapes, a dark blue and embroidered with golden roses, and the first window on each wall. The Sofa's had been changed from decent fabric couches, to luxurious leather ones that were also a dark blue. They were on a exquisite carpet with a floral motif, that looked like ivy and roses wrapped around a gate. The shelf to one side had been reworked with an elaborate engravings of people and animals framing it. The shelf that once held books and family photos now held pottery and statues that looked like they'd belong in an exhibit on ancient Rome and Greece, and several vases that held even more blood-red roses.

The dinner table had been changed from a simple, low to the ground Japanese style to a richly engraved, higher off the ground, Euro-American style with a number of high backed chairs that looked incredibly comfortable. On the walls in various places, though still very nicely laid out, paintings, some portraits, some scenes of people, and was that the Mona Lisa? The stairs leading up to the second floor now featured another ornately carved handrail and a simple red carpet that went down the middle. All which led his eyes upwards to the most astounding thing of all. The ceiling, once simple wooden planks, was now covered in plaster, with an ornate border around the edges that seemed to resemble finely interwoven vines. The entire ceiling was covered in frescoes, mostly of heavenly scenes of angels and chubby cherubs, some playing musical instruments. All this combined to create a strongly European look, and even if a person who had grown up in Japan, and wasn't extremely fond of the European look, would admit that it all combined wonderfully.

Tenchi stood and soaked it all in. Tenchi was an architects son, so he had some idea how much work this all would have needed. The engravings, even putting aside the expense, would have taken weeks, and the ceiling even longer. This was not the sort of thing that was done on a whim.

By now everyone else had come in, except Yosho, who had probably returned to the shrine, and they were still noticing the changes in the front hallway. Sasami wandered in, looked around and said quite casually;

" Tenchi, who's that lady?" Tenchi blinked, and only then realized he was not alone. A woman, perhaps the most beautiful addition to the room, was casually looking at him.

" You must be Tenchi." She said. She sat casually on the sofa, with her long neck craned to look at Tenchi. At least that's what Tenchi thought at first, then he realized that she was actually floating gently off the couch, like Ryoko sometimes did, and just tilted so she was sitting at 90 degrees to gravity. The oddest thing about her to Tenchi were the blue diamond shaped marks on her face, like a tattoo; one on her forehead, two below each eye. Having spent so long with flying women and weirder, he barely noticed it. But that didn't mean he wasn't curious about his visitor. Especially about why she seemed to have a stack of his father's bishoujo comics on the table in front of her.

" Yeah, I am. Uhm, can I help you with something?" He asked. The only thing he could think of, with her flying and all, was that she was one of Ryoko's old friends.

" Will you murder your father for me?" She asked casually. Tenchi blinked in surprise at the odd question.

" What? No, of course I won't. Who are you and what are you doing in my house? And why do you want my father murdered?" He said about as furioiusly as he ever got. Before she could answer though, Ayeka and Ryoko were drawn by the sound of the strange female voice like a moth to a flame.

" Tenchi, who is this strange woman?" Ayeka said coolly. Tenchi sweated and tried to say he didn't know when Ryoko came in.

" Yeah, Tenchi and.. and what happened in here?" She said, surprise ringing in her voice, as she saw the new interior decoration.

" You mean you don't know her?" Tenchi asked. Now he had no idea what was going on.

" No, never seen her before in my life." Ryoko answered, eyeing the strange woman cautiously. She and Ayeka both did not like having someone this pretty anywhere near Tenchi.

" I guess I can explain." Said a new voice. Everyone looked up to see Noboyuki coming down the stairs, blushing sheepishly. " I'm afraid this woman will be staying with us for a little while."

It was about six at night at the Masaki residence. Tenchi, Yosho, and the girls were off to Tokyo, and Noboyuki was alone in the house, and relaxing the way he most often did; sitting in the family room with a collection of his Bishoujo (Manga for girls, Noboyuki has a giant library of it.) At about 6:30, he started feeling hungry. He'd had leftovers for breakfast and lunch, but they were all gone now. Since he worked late into the night quite often, he was no stranger to making do. He decided to do what he always did, and order a pizza. He set aside his comic and walked over the phone. He dialed the local pizza parlor, or at least thought he did.

" You life is about to change, my dear, you've reached Goddess first class unlimited Peorth of the Earth assistance hotline. You need but to wait one moment, for me to grant your wish!" the voice spoke. Noboyuki stared at the phone, as if that could make any sense of this.

" A goddess?" Tenchi said cynically. They'd moved up to Ryoko's room on the second floor to speak privately. Ayeka, Ryoko, Sasami, and Mihoshi listened disbelievingly as Noboyuki told his story.

" Listen Tenchi, this is what happened. Do you want me to go on?" He said. Tenchi sighed and nodded in surrender. " Okay."

For a moment, Noboyuki was convinced he'd just called a crazy woman by mistake, until a three foot whole appeared in the ceiling, spilling out blinding light. Slowly, a woman emerged and floated to the ground slowly. Her skin was fare, and looked incredibly soft, with hair of rich brown that was cut short to her neck in most places, but also had one long ponytail, almost down to her knees in the back. She was dressed bizarrely, even after all the alien fashions he'd seen living in this house. She wore what looked like a spandex bikini, the top part black with shoulder straps as well, and the bottom was white. She also wore bizarre leather add ons that was attached to the look alike spandex in several places, made of soft, tan leather that crossed over her shoulders, and two other pieces that came off her back almost like wings. Her jewelry was no more normal. She wore a solid piece of metal around her neck, like a collar, and two ear rings, with two grape sized spheres coming off and a long cord that held a third sphere, all looked silver. She struck several poses while exclaiming:

" Hello there! I'm so pleased to meet you. I've come to make your dreams come true! What is it that you wish?" strinking a final pose. After a moment, she noticed Noboyuki wasn't listening to her. " AHEM! My face is up here." She said, grabbing his chin and making his eyes meet hers. " Now then, your wish?"

" You're a goddess?" Noboyuki asked, still not quite sure what was going on.

" Oui, oui mortel. I am goddess first class Peorth, of the Earth assistance hotline. You been selected to receive a wish. I can grant anything your heart desires, but only once." She said sweetly.

" A wish? I thought she was a goddess, not a genie." Tenchi remarked. Everyone was starting to get a little skeptical.

" Well why else would a goddess call people on the phone?" Noboyuki replied.

" About that…" Ayeka said quizically , but Noboyuki cut her off.

" It will all make sense in a little. Just let me finish."

" Anything?" Noboyuki said. He still wasn't certain what was happening, but he decided to just go with the flow.

" Anything. If you wish to be a billonaire, we can do it. If you want to destroy the world, we can do that too, but we'd prefer not too business with those kinds of people." She said.

" So I can wish for anything huh?" He said to himself. " Well, there's only one thing I could ever really want."

" Then this shouldn't really be a hard decision then." Peorth mused.

" All right then. A while back, my beloved wife died suddenly. I was hoping that…" he said, but Peorth interrupted him.

" Non, messieur, non. Mille pardons, but I can not grant that wish." Peorth said, bringing her hand to head dramatically.

" I thought I could wish for anything." Noboyuki questioned. Peorth's face quickly flashed irritation, but she willed it away.

" Yes, but not that. We can not raise the dead. It tends to throw things off from the way they are supposed to be." She said. " Now, what else do you wish?"

" Well if I can't have that, then…" he said, in a successful attempt to irritate her some more. " Then I guess I have to wish for…" Peorth nodded in anticipation, trying to hurry him up. " More wishes." Peorth face faulted. As she picked herself off the floor, her irritation was starting to show.

" I can not…"

" Do that either, right?" Noboyuki finished. " Can't get more wishes, can't get my wife back. Not much I can wish for then. Can I wish for someone to die?" Peorth groaned.

" No, you can not wish someone dead. Why do you want someone dead?" Peorth said.

" I'm just trying to figure out what my limitations are. You said I could wish for anything, but that's obviously not true." He said. Peorth, manwhile had created a rose as was twirling it between her fingers in growing irritation. " But you said I could destroy the world. Wouldn't that make a lot of people dead?" Peorth rolled her eyes.

" Yes, but it would be a side effect of the wish, not the direct wish." She said. " Please make your wish. I will grant you only one wish. Choose wisely." She said. She tossed the rose aside. " Just choose your hearts desire." She said. She tapped her foot impatiently.

" I can only think of one thing to wish for." He grinned. Peorth clasped her hands together, finally about to grant a wish and go home.

" Then this should not be hard. What is it that you wish?" She said with forced cheerfulness.

" I wish for a goddess like you, to be with me for the rest of my life." He said. Peorth smile and prepared to grant the wish, then the horror of what he had said hit her full force. She stared at him, but she had already connected to Yggdrasil, and the wish uploaded. The room filled with light as lightning seemed to strike from the heavens, through the house to the mark on Peorths head, and a hurricane seemed to form in the room. Noboyuki grabbed onto the doorway to keep from being blown away, while Peorth was floating in the middle of the room, still connected to the light. A few moments went by, the wind began to slow. Noboyuki saw Peorth slowly come back to the ground, and then collapse in a heap to the ground. For a few moments, she lay there, completely motionless. Noboyuki finally got up the courage to go a see if she was ok. He slowly reached down to see if she had a pulse, even though he wasn't certain that she'd normally have one since she obviously wasn't a normal human.

He didn't see her hand whip out a grab him by the collar until it was too late.

" You!" She growled as she stood up. " Why did you have to wish for THAT! Of all things!" By now she was actually holding him off the floor with one hand.

" What? It really worked?" Noboyuki said.

" YES! Of course! Why wouldn't it work?" She growled.

" I thought that was another one you wouldn't grant." He said quickly, afraid she might get angry and strangle him. " Really? Is there anyway to undo it? I'd be happy too." Peorth continued to glare at him, then she seemed to believe it wasn't a purposeful wish, and put him back. She cradled her head in her hands, and nearly cried.

" Why me?" She said. " Why must I be cursed to be here? On this barbaric world?"

" Hey, that's not a very nice thing to say." Noboyuki said meekly. He was still a little defensive because he still had no idea what was going on, but she just ignored him. She walked away, roses appearing out of no where and falling in her path. She entered the family room and collapsed into a chair. Noboyuki followed cautiously behind her.

" Miss? Is there anything I can do for you?" Noboyuki asked. She sighed.

" Just go away." She said. It had all happened so quickly, Noboyuki was just starting to realize she may be here for a long time. " I never thought this could happen to me. Ten thousands years, goddesses have been granting wishes, and not once a wish like this, except Belldandy. I can't believe I won't be able to go home until you die." She sighed. For a few moments, the words simply hung there, as both Peorth and Noboyuki considered the implications. Slowly, Peorth's head turned, and her eyes met Noboyuki's. He bolted, but Peorth was on her feet and after him almost immediately.

" Get back here and die!"

" You don't look very dead." Ryoko observed. Everyone was starting to get a little suspicious of this wild story.

" Yeah, well, she…"

" I decided I should call and get permission. A goddess' job is to help people after all. It took me a long time to get my first class unlimited licesense, and I didn't feel like endangering it." Everyone turned around to see Peorth leaning against the back wall, like she had just appeared there, and if Noboyuki's story was true, she might have. She shook her head sadly. " I should have known better."

" So you're a goddess, huh? What's with the weird freckles?" Ryoko said. Peorth frowned.

" They are not 'freckles'. They are a mark of godhood. They contain programs that allow me to access goddess first class unlimited areas of Yggdrasil. Not that you'd know anything about that…" She said defensively. Ayeka seemed to flinch at something she'd said.

" Is that right? Who knew all it took was three little tattoo's to become a goddess." Ryoko laughed. They locked eyes, and Peorth stared at Ryoko curiously. Tenchi realized this was the first good look she had gotten of Ryoko, and her yellow cat eyes seemed to disturb her.

" Ryoko, goddess or not, she's still a guest in my house. I'd appreciate it if you would treat her with respect." Tenchi said.

" Fine Tenchi," She surrenedered, tossing her hands in the air. " But if what your dad says is true, she's hardly an invited guest."

" He wished me here forever. That sounds like an invitation." She said, and walked out of the room, through the still closed door, phasing through solid matter in the same way as Ryoko did 50 times a day. A moment later her head reappeared through the door.

" And could I do this if I wasn't a goddess?" No one replied.

" All mighty one, I understand that, but he did not want the wish!" Peorth said, to who ever was on the other side of the phone. Halfway through strangling Noboyuki to death, she seemed to have second thoughts, and had went and picked up the phone for some reason Noboyuki didn't understand, had went and picked up the phone. " See." She said, then used the hand she wasn't using to keep Noboyuki in a head lock to put the receiver next to him.

" Really!" He said, trying to squirm out of the headlock. " It was an accident. I didn't really mean it. Could you just cancel it so I can go back to my normal life now?" He pleaded. A moment of silence. " Uh huh. All right. He wants to talk to you again." He considered something for a moment. " Is that really God?"

" Yes." She said, as if it were nothing. She put the receiver to her ear again.

" Yes, all mighty one? Yes. Yes. I understand that but… are you certain there's no other way. But you heard him, he doesn't want me here!" She said angrily into the phone, then became aplogetic. " I'm sorry for speaking to you like that, but… yes, there's no excuse for that. Very well sir." Peorth gently placed the reciver back on the phone. She sighed gently and stared out the window.

" Could you let me go now?" Noboyuki said. Peorth had forgotten she'd had the man in a headlock.

" Oh." She let go, and Noboyuki scrambled backwards until his back was flat against the wall. Peorth quietly returned to a chair in the family room. She sighed again, and said;

" This doesn't seem like too bad a place to spend a couple of decades." Then almost as an afterthoght, added " You don't have to worry anymore, Mr. Masaki. All mighty Odin has informed me, that if I am responsible for your death in any way, through in action or inaction, that my license as a goddess will be revoked immediately."

" So I guess you'll be staying a while then." He said, peering cautiously around the door frame.

" Juste ainsi vous savez, I'd still leave me alone for the rest of the day. I may decide it's worth it."

" After that, she didn't do much for the rest of the day. Yesterday, she decided to re-do the family room. It kept her busy for a while, so I wasn't about to argue. We still aren't on great terms." He said. For a long time, no one said anything.

" I'm done now."

" Well I think she's full of crap." Ryoko said. " Goddess my ass. I've seen cheese more holy then her."

" I always thought Goddesses would be taller and talk like she was from a long time ago, with thee's and thous." Mihoshi added.

" It does seem kind of far fetched. I've never heard of any religion where gods call people on the phone to grant wishes." Tenchi said. He was very uncomfortable with having someone with so much power and so mysterious origin. " Maybe Washu can offer some information." He blinked and looked around the room. " Where is Washu anyway? I thought she'd be up here."

" She took some readings then went inside." Mihoshi said. " I haven't seen her since." Tenchi shrugged.

" That's weird. I thought she'd want to study this kind of thing." Tenchi thought this really wasn't like Washu to pass up a chance to study something. He frowned gently. He still didn't quite trust Peorth's explanation, and he'd feel a lot better if Washu could get more information on her.

" Do we trust her?" He asked. " Is she really a goddess?"

" Come on, don't tell me you actually believe her?" Ryoko said, her cat eyes narrowing. " There's nothing she can do that I can't, and I'm no goddess." She said, then re-considered. " Well, maybe a sex goddess, but that's besides the point." She added.

" As much as it pains me, I have to agree with Ryoko." Ayeka shook her head in gently no. " Jurai has many enemies Tenchi. She very well could have been hired to spy on us." She stood up and motioned downstairs, her voice firm. " She could be anyone. Tenchi, we can't trust her.'

" Dad? You've known her longer then anyone. What do you think?" Tenchi said. He felt the irony that he was the youngest, least experienced in the house, and everyone was looking to him for decisions, and smiled weakly.

" Well she has done some strange thing. She flies and can make things out of thin air." He said. " She seems pretty powerful."

" That's nothing I can't do." Ryoko said. (It's true, where did you think the floating onsen came from after OVA 4?) " This whole wish thing is just to get her in close."   
" Misoshi?" Tenchi had to ask. Ryoko groaned at the thought of Mihoshi having input. Mishoshi, who had been sitting on the bed on the bed, was sound a sleep.

" Great." Ryoko said. " Tenchi, let's just kick her out. If she's really a goddess she can magic herself up a place to live."

" She's telling the truth." Said a quiet voice. It took them a moment to realize it had been Sasami. Sasami had been sitting quietly unnoticed behind Ayeka. She was looking down, not making eye contact with anyone. She looked distinctly unhappy and uncomfortable.

" Sasami? What makes you think that?" Tenchi asked. Sasami struggled for a moment, trying to find the words.

" I don't know, I just… feel it." She said.

" Sasami." Tenchi said gently. " Is this coming from Tsunami?" Sasami nodded, and Tenchi understood. Sasami still believed that she wasn't the real Sasami, just a creation of Tsunami.

" Well, I guess I'll accept that." Ryoko surrendered.

" Tsunami is beyond questioning." Ayeka added reluctantly, though she gently reached out and held Sasami's hand to comfort her.

" Now that that is settled," Tenchi said. " We still have to decide what to tell her. Do we want her to know that we have two Jurain princesses, a galaxy police officer and a space pirate living here." He said. " Geez I wish Washu were here. It'd be great to have her opinion. Why now of all times does she have to disappear." Across from him, Ayeka stood up and straigtened her dress.

" It really doesn't matter to me what she knows. If there's nothing else, I really need to take a relaxing bath after that car trip. Sasami, why don't you come with me?" Her younger sister shook her head weakly. Sasami didn't like being reminded of what she thought she was, merely an object created by Tsunami.

" No, I should get started on dinner." She said, and ran out the door.

Ryoko also stood up, and stretched her arms.

" Tell her whatever you want. I'm gonna go relax." She said, and disappeared. Ayeka also left, and Tenchi was left with only Sasami, and unfortunately his father and Mihoshi for back up.

" Could someone wake Mihoshi up?"

Tenchi decided it would be best if they at least tried to keep their identities under wraps for a while, until they could feel out more of what she was like. She was too unstable, and definitely too powerful to surprise with something like this. Sasami had gone to the kitchen to work on dinner, even though it was 3:00 PM and much earlier then she normally would have. Tenchi watched with a bit of a grimace as Mihoshi decided to be friendly and sat down next to Peorth. ' I don't know if she's brave or stupid, to walk into the lions den.' Noboyuki watched from the kitchen, staring at Peorth as if she were a panther. Not something you want in your house, but not something YOU want to make leave. He walked downstairs, and knocked on Washu's door, hoping to talk to her.

" Ms. Washu? Ms. Washu, I'd really like to talk to you." He waited a moment, then knocked again. ' This is really strange,' he thought. Behind him, he heard the dam burst.

" Would you please leave me alone. I'm afraid your stupidity will osmotically suck intelligence out of me." Peorth said sharply.

" That's mean. Why are you so mean." Mihoshi bristled. Peorth didn't respond, just raised her hand without looking and flicked Mihoshi in the nose with her finger, hard enough to cause bleeding. ' Oh great. As if Ayeka and Ryoko weren't bad enough.' Tenchi thought. ' I guess I have to go be peacemaker. Who would have thought a goddess could be so unfriendly.' He moved to the doorway, and saw Mihoshi get up and stomp away from the couch. Peorth seemed more amused than anything else, then went back to her magazine. Tenchi walked to the doorway, and knocked on the door frame.

" Yes."

" Ms. Peorth, I'm sorry about what happened to you, but that's no excuse for your behavior. We'll try to help you however we can to get home, but you can't go around insulting the others." Peorth turned to look at him with an annoyed look.

" Go away." She accused. " I used to be the head of the Yggdrasil system. I know it better then anyon. Once a wish has been granted, there's no undoing it. I'm stuck here for the rest of your fathers's life." She said, then waved her hand dismissing him. " Just leave me alone."

" What do you think of the 'goddess'?" Ryoko said. She gently sipped on a cup of sake. She smiled broadly, and let the warm water of the onsen wash over her. On the other side of the spring, Ayeka gently washed her face and sighed. Ryoko and Ayeka sometimes wondered what Tenchi would think if he knew about this. " Ahhhhh." She sighed.

They didn't realize, of course, that Tenchi had long ago realized it was more than just coincidence that the two disappeared whenever something, particularly a beautiful female something, seemed to be getting close to him, but he just ignored it, letting them go to their little war camp without letting on he knew very well what was happening.

" I'm not to worried yet. She hasn't made any overtures to Tenchi. Yet. She doesn't seem to like anyone."

" She and Tenchi have only been under the same roof for an hour. When her anger cools, Tenchi will still be there. Unless we can get him away to college…" She mused. " If she tries anything I want to make sure there's a truce while I put her through the wall." Ryoko said, throwing a cautious glance at her competitor. Ayeka's stared incredulously at Ryoko.

" Me? You were the one who double crossed me last time!" Ayeka stood up and pointed accusingly at Ryoko, who just sat and smirked. After a moment, Ayeka remembered she wasn't wearing a towel, covered herself and sat down, blushing. " Fine. If she decides she likes Tenchi, we get her. Though it may be hard, considering she can't leave. If she's telling the truth."

" No problem. We simply let her know that we also have no plans to leave, and we can make sure her stay with Tenchi is… unpleasant." She said, swishing her cup of sake around. Ayeka thought about it a second, then nodded in agreement. She sipped her own sake, just as Ryoko had been waiting for.

" So what's Yggdrasil?" Ryoko said. Ayeka's eyes went wide, and she nearly inhaled her sake. " Yeah, I noticed you seemed to recognize the name when she said it."

" Oh that." Ayeka said, still coughing out sake, throwing an annoyed glance to Ryoko. " In some VERY old texts, Yggdrasil is another name for Tsunami." Ryoko surprise shown was obvious. " I know."

" Well she's obviously not Tsunami. We've met Tsunami, and she looks nothing like Peorth." Ryoko said.

" I know that, but 20,000 years ago, when Jurai was founded, most religious texts talked about Tsunami as if it were a huge tree." Ayeka said thoughtfully. She was struggling to remember what her tutors had been saying, but all she could remember how much she had ignored them, thinking she'd never need to know this.

" But Tsunami is the tree, remember? She didn't become the woman until she assimilated with Sasami." Ryoko argued, but Ayeka shook her head no.

" Tsunami as a woman first started appearing about 18,000 years ago, long before she assimilated with Sasami." She peered into her sake thoughtfully. " Though now that I think about, most of the descriptions are quite different from the way she actually looked. That must have been Sasami." Ryoko shrugged.

" It doesn't matter. If it's really important, we can ask her." She stood up and stretched her arms. " Ohhhh, that always feels good. Anyway, I'm going to go back, maybe start putting the pressure on. You coming?" Ryoko said, moving to wrap a towel around her body.

" Not now. I don't want Tenchi to see us come in too close together. He might figure this out." Ayeka said. Ryoko nodded, then teleported away. Ayeka spread out, and let the warm water flow around her. She breathed deeply to fill her lungs with the hot air. Her mind leisurely returned to the Yggdrasil affair. She tried to dredge up every insignifigant memory from her childhood, about learning about Tsunami and Jurai trees.

" How does it all fit together?"

Later that night, at the Morisato residence

" How does it all fit together?" Keiichi Morisato asked. It was a rhetorical question, but Urd didn't seem to realize this.

" How does what fit together, K-boy?" It had been a long day for Keiichi. While Tenchi was meeting Peorth for the first time, Keiichi had been completely oblivious to it all, dealing with an attack of Mara. The devil Mara had, for some reason Keiichi suspected he'd never understand, cast a spell making all the faucets in the house spew gravy. Belldandy said that Mara had made mistake in her spell, and Urd fried Mara with an Urd bolt, winning the day for team K1, but Keiichi and Belldandy had spent the entire day cleaning out gravy pools from the house. Now he just wanted to relax. He lay on his back, on the roof of the house, staring at the stars. Belldandy had not used that much magic battling Mara, but she used enough to make her tired, and she was now sleeping lightly, resting her head on his chest. Urd sat at the crest of the roof, staring at the stars with him. There were so many little pin-pricks of light out there.

" Nothing. I was just looking out there. There are so many stars out there. Is Earth the only one with life on it? Have no species ever risen out of the muck to stare at the stars and wonder the same thing? By some cruel twist of fate, are we alone in this universe?" He said. For a few moments, neither spoke, just continued staring.

" Nope." Urd simply said. Keiichi blinked his surprise away.

" No we're alone or no we're not?"

" No we're not alone." Urd said, cocking an eybrow at him. Then she had an epiphany. " Oh that's right, you don't know do you?"

" Know what, Urd?" Keiichi said cautiously. Knowing Urd, things were about to get weird.

" You're not an native to Earth." Urd said, and Keiichi's jaw dropped with a funny, 'clang' sound. Keiichi knew Urd had lied before, but she said it so plainly, that it seemed honest this time. He sat up straight to stare at Urd, forgetting for a moment about Belldandy. She woke up with a start, and saw immediately something was wrong.

" Keiichi? What is it? Is something wrong?" She said worriedly.

" Belldandy, am I an alien?" He said. Belldandy gave him a bizarre look, that made Keiichi feel very uncomfortable to make her worry like this, even for a sec.

" Of course not Keiichi" She said. Keiichi gave Urd an annoying glare. " At least, not any more then the rest of the people on this planet." It took Keiichi a moment to register this. When it did, it hit Keiichi like a ton of bricks.

" Hate to tell you this, K-boy, but humans aren't originally from Earth. They're from a planet called Jurai." Urd said. She bit her lower lip, then pointed vaguely upwards. " It's right about there." Keiichi was still recovering. He looked back to Belldandy, who gently nodded.

" She's telling the truth, Keiichi. People on this planet actually come from a star empire called Jurai." She said, as gently as she could. She learned some time ago Keiichi was a very excitable.

" Jurai? What's that?" He said. " Why did you never tell me?"

" You never asked." Belldandy replied.

" This will take some time. Goddesses learn these things from birth. Do you want to do it or should I?" Urd said.

" I'll tell him." Belldandy said. Urd made a motion with her hand, as if giving her the go ahead. " I guess I should start at beginning." She said to Keiichi, gently stroking his hair to calm him, as he listened intently. " Over twenty thousand years ago, there were three goddesses. Tokimi, Washu, and Tsunami. They were the first Goddess'. They looked upon the galaxies, and saw all the suffering and pain, and they wanted to do something to cure it." Keiichi nodded in the way that said ' I have no real idea what you're talking about but go on, I'll figure it out later' that Belldandy had noticed he used whenever she talked about anything Yggdrasil. " In their wisdom, they designed a system to be used, that would help bring order to the universe. Tsunami, the youngest, who loved nature, gave it form in a giant tree. Washu, the middle sister and having great knowledge of science, designed a system that would help fill the universe with love. Tokimi, the oldest, wisest, and most powerful gave it the power to work, and the first Yggdrasil was created. To help bring further their goals, they founded an noble empire, called Jurai." She said. Her gaze seemed to turn inward as she remembered these tales from her childhood fondly. Keiichi hadn't seen these often. He felt almost warm as he realized how important these were to her.

" Goddess' are told these things since child hood." Urd said, uncharacteristically serious. " Many of us idolize the three goddess. In fact, when three goddess' are sister's, it's considered lucky." Keiichi thought back to every horrible thing Skuld had done to try and keep him and Belldandy apart, as well as all the horrible things Urd had done to get them together. He was about to respond when he noticed Belldandy smiling at him. Perhaps meeting the three goddess was not the worst thing that had ever happened to him…

" I'd always wondered what Goddess believed in." he said instead. " But that still doesn't answer the question I asked. Are there other species in the universe?" He said to Urd. The blonde goddess, blinked at him, then shrugged.

" Dozens." She said. " Plenty of worlds aren't populated like Earth and Jurai. We leave them to themselves."

" I don't believe it." Keiichi said.

" Bell would know more about Jurai. She interned there after getting her class C license." Urd said, and Keiichi looked at his love, who blushed. Something else striked Keiichi.

" Wait. How can Jurai have a different Yggdrasil?" Belldandy didn't quite seem to know what he was talking about.

" Because the Yggdrasil of Jurai is different." She said uncomprehendingly.

" How can there be more then one? I always thought Yggdrasil was like, you know, heaven. There was only one."

" Ohhhhhhh." Urd said. " I get it. No K, a normal Yggrdasil system only affects a small area, about the size of a solar system. The Original is much stronger though, because it was created by the three goddess'. The others were built by subordinate gods, with help from Tsunami." Something seemed to click in Keiichi's mind. He felt a subtle exhilaration as it occurred to him that he knew something that probably no one else on the entire planet knew. Seriously, what were the odds that a second person's life on Earth could be so weird he'd find out these things?

Masaki residence

It was an odd dinner, even for the Masaki house. Ayeka and Ryoko had come home from their little war camp, ready to make trouble. That lasted until they started 'applying pressure' and it started heavily raining while Peorth shot them angry looks. They wisely choose to back off and wait for her to actually try something with Tenchi.

Sasami cooked up a huge dinner for everyone, going all out. Peorth dismissed it was 'edible'. Despite Peorth's display of power earlier, Ayeka and Ryoko still put on a brave face, sitting at Tenchi's side's like guardian statues. Dinner was served at the new table, and Tenchi had to admit, the chairs were something he could get used too. In the background, someone had left the TV on, with a local news channel, with the anchor, an American college student who writes fan fics was interning as a newscaster was discussing international events. Sasami sitting across from Ayeka, next to Peorth, trying her best to make friends. Mihoshi sat at the end, still angry with the goddess. Yosho had deicded to join them, and was sitting at the other end of the table. Noboyuki, and strangely Washu, were both abscent.

" Would you like some more beef, Peorth?" Sasami offered. Peorth smiled and took some, but looked back at her chosen prey for the night.

" So Tenchi tells me you're a goddess." Katsuhito said, watching Peorth. Having lived with Yosho for years, Tenchi almost felt sorry for her.

" Goddess first class, unlimited, thank you very much."

" Ah. I'm sure that is something special indeed, but unfortunately I know little of these things. Perhaps you could inform us a little more of what exactly you do." Yosho asked. His simple question belied the challenge in his words. 'Why are you so arrogant?' Peorth sighed, loudly and obviously.

" Well, before all of this, I was in direct charge of maintaining the Yggdrasil system. Alas, it was also my job to provide services to help those deemed worthy or in need, as so I met your father." She said, toying with a piece of beef. Tenchi blinked in surprise.

" Wait, why did my dad get a wish? I don't mean to insult him, but dad's never been all that special?" Peorth shrugged.

" We don't get to know. Perhaps it was for putting up with the blonde girl. I know that alone must be a Herculean task." She said, tossing a mean smirk to Mihoshi.

" Oooooh, why are you so mean!" the blonde said angrily. " I should arrest you for insulting an officer of the law."

" Mihoshi." Tenchi said, trying to keep Mihoshi from doing something stupid, like challenging the goddess.

" They're certainly lax on teaching manners in Yggdrasil, aren't they?" Ryoko chided.

" What is this Yggdrasil you keep talking about." Ayeka asked. " You keep mentioning it, but you don't ever say what it is, even though no one has ever heard of it." She lied. It still weighed heavily on her mind how Peorth related to Tsunami. But Peorth ignored her, focusing instead on Ryoko.

" We're trained in all manner of things, I just don't see why I should use them for people such as yourself." She said, with great disdain. " And what are you anyway? Your obviously not human."

" People like me? I'll have you know I'm a two thous…" Ryoko cut back, only to be interrupted by Tenchi.

" Ryoko!" Tenchi said, before she could say she was two thousand.

" Wasn't it more like five thousand?" Ayeka pointed out.

" What are you trying to do Ayeka?" Ryoko replied. Peorth watched it with a growing confusion, not quite certain what was going on. Tenchi was realizing how hopeless it had been to try and pretend they were normal. At this point, somewhere in North Africa one piece of straw too many was placed on a camel, causing it's back to break, and in Okayama, Mihoshi's wrist communicator went off.

" Mihoshi, Mihoshi?" A hologram of Yukinojo, the AI of Mihoshi's ship.

" What is it? It's dinner time." Mihoshi replied tersely. It was clear Peorth was still annoying her.

" I'm sorry, Mihoshi, but we've detected an unknown object entering the solar system. We need to investigate." He said.

" Oh all right." Mihoshi fumed. " Sasami, I'm sorry I won't get to eat your dinner. I'm sure it's delicious. I have to go." She stood up.

" Don't go yet. I'll pack something in a bag." She said.

" Oh thank you, that'd be great." She said kindly. No one, especially Mihoshi, could be mad when talking to Sasami. The little girl quickly stood up and ran into the kitchen. Peorth, stared blinking at Mihoshi as she left.


	2. Chapter 2: Please don't tease the godde...

Note: I don't own either the Ah! My Goddess! Characters or Tenchi Muyo! characters.   
If I did, I would be a very rich (not to mention talented) man. I'm just writing this fic   
because I enjoy writing, and enjoy those two mangas. If you want to sue me, fine, but   
keep in mind I have less then $100 in my checking account at any given time, and I'm   
giving free advertisement with this fic. Now that the legal info is over, enjoy me newest   
creation. Also note, that I make a cameo in all my work. Not really a self insertion, just   
one or two lines. Just be aware.  
  
Comments: Sorry. I wanted to finish the current arc up in this one, so I could get Keiichi   
and Co. in the next one, but it looks like it'll be one more chapter before they show up.  
Yggdrasil: Chapter Two; Don't tease the goddess…  
" I was hoping to wait a little longer before telling you this, but please believe me   
when I say I would have told you eventually. It's not really like we could have kept it a   
secret anyway… but we're not exactly normal." Tenchi said reluctantly. Peorth stared at   
him, as Mihoshi got out her control cube, used it to change into her uniform, and walked   
out to get in Yukinojo.   
" What is going on here?" Peorth said. " The cat eyed woman… is she a devil?"   
she said, nodding towards Ryoko.  
" Devil? No…" Ryoko said innocently. " I'm just your ordinary space pirate."   
" Space pirate? You're from..?" She said suspiciously.  
" I assumed you'd know there were aliens, being a goddess and all." Ryoko   
countered.  
" I was aware." She said, defensively. " It's just you shouldn't be. How exactly   
did she come to be here? Yggdrasil monitors these things to prevent uncontrolled   
influences." She said, watching Ryoko suspiciously. Tenchi was quite sure what that   
meant, or how Ryoko had managed to slip through. ' Tsunami maybe? She might have   
had something to do with it. I'll have to ask her next time I see her. Which, knowing   
how my life is so messed up, I'd give it a week or two.'  
" Well, it's kind of a long story. Ryoko was kind of being controlled by a   
badguy, and ended up here where my grandfather her in the shrine, then Ayeka and   
Sasami came looking for her, and then Mihoshi just kind of showed up, and we freed   
Washu, who just never really left."   
" So you're all space pirates?" Peorth asked, as Ayeka gave an indignant look.  
" Most certainly not!" Ayeka countered fiercly. " Sasami and I are princesses of   
Jurai, the mightiest star kingdom in this galaxy. We are not some common ordinary   
thugs!" Now it was Ryoko's turn to look indignant.   
" Common ordinary thug! I was hardly some thug, I was a space pirate and a   
damn good one. There are militaries that couldn't get within a hundred light years of the   
Jurai solar system, and I got all the way to the main planet!" Ryoko said, and Tenchi   
recognized the beginning of a major argument, but to his great surprise, he also noticed   
Peorth, sitting, openly slack jawed, staring from Ayeka to Sasami and back again.   
Sasami noticed, and was extremely uncomfortable under her gaze.  
" Only you would take pride in being a pirate!" Ayeka bellowed. " You   
destroyed countless non-combatant ships, wounded Tsunami knows how many. It's a   
miracle of epic proportions that no one died!" She stood up and pointed her chopsticks   
accusingly at Ryoko.   
" And is everyone here…" Peorth finally managed.   
" An alien, yeah. Mihoshi's a member of the galaxy police, and Washu, who's   
not here right now, is a member of the science academy." Tenchi said. He wondered   
briefly if he should tell her he was the Prince of Jurai, but thought against it. Better to   
keep that to himself for the time being, until he knew more.  
" Washu…" Peorth seemed to shake a thought away " Are they really princesses   
of Jurai?"  
" Yeah." He said. Her entire demeanor had seemingly changed because of it,   
and Tenchi was wondering if it was for the better. Peorth suddenly stepped back from   
the table, and kneeled, actually kneeled, before Ayeka.  
" Veuillez me pardonner, votre altesse, had I but known who you were, I would   
have treated you with the respect you deserve." She said. For several moments, no one   
spoke just stared. Even Ayeka and Ryoko were in such belief, that someone who had   
treated them all so badly would now be kneeling before them, that they forgot about their   
fight.  
" Excuse me?" Ayeka finally managed.  
" You are a noble of Jurai, held dear by Tsunami. It is the duty of all goddess to   
serve and protect the royal family of Jurai."  
" So does this mean you have to be nice to us now?" Ryoko said.   
" Are you a member of Jurain nobility? I think not. My responsibilities are to   
them only." She said.  
" Wait, I'm confused." Ryoko said, to which Tenchi saw Peorth mouth 'why am I   
not surprised'. " I thought Tsunami liked everyone." Tenchi saw Sasami give Ryoko a   
pleading look, wanting her to go no further. Ryoko grimaced an apology, but before   
Peorth could notice their exchange, Tenchi decided to draw attention to himself.  
" How exactly does this Yggdrasil work? And who exactly is Tsunami?" he   
said.   
" I don't see that it…" She started to say.  
" I'd like to know also." Ayeka said, and Peorth immediately told her.  
" Yggdrasil is like a computer that can use magic. We use it to maintain order   
wherever the children of Tsunami spread. Tsunami created Yggdrasil to help oversee the   
fates of mortals."   
" I'd been wondering how the two were related. I never thought about it, but   
being a patron goddess of an entire star empire, she's got to be busy. I've never heard   
any mention of any lesser gods, unless you count the other Jurai tree's. I assume that's   
what you meant by Children of Tsunami." Ayeka said, with great interest. Peorth   
nodded affirmative. " It's so nice to have someone to talk to now. Since I came here,   
there hasn't been anyone here capable of intelligent conversation." She said. ' Was I   
just insulted?' Tenchi wondered.  
" I can see that. I'm actually glad to see it. It means our Yggdrasil has been   
keeping up its work. After all it's not our fault if people on other planets are badly   
educated."  
" Certainly not!" Ayeka nodded approvingly. " I've been here for some time   
and I've seen nothing to complain about on Earth. It really is a wonderful planet. Not as   
good as Jurai of course, but nice still."  
" I envy you, I've never had the chance to go to the main system on Jurai. But   
thanks, we try to do good work." Peorth said, sounding to Tenchi as very authentic.   
" Perhaps I can arrange it. I certainly wouldn't be too difficult, though I'm not   
certain about how this thing with Noboyuki works. You may have to take him…"   
Ayeka said, smiling. Something in her smile seemed… off, to Tenchi. " No matter   
though. We can work this all out in time. In the mean time, I have a favor to ask of   
you."  
" Certainly, your highness. Whatever I may I do for you?"   
" I was wondering if you might redecorate mine and Sasami's room. It's nice,   
but so simple." Ayeka said. Peorth pulled rose out of nowhere, smiled, and handed it to   
the equally smiling princess.   
" But of course!" She said, and bowed, motioning for them to go upstairs.   
Ayeka chuckled happily, and went.  
" Great. Now the princess has a goddess kissing her butt. Just the thing we   
needed. Ayeka with a bigger ego." Ryoko said. Then noticed Sasami. " No offense."   
Sasami didn't say anything, just continued to stare at the two as they went upstairs.   
By the end of the night, Ayeka and Sasami were sleeping in a huge four post bed,   
luxiouriously soft, under a canopy of silk. Sasami still seemed uncomforatable around   
Peorth, but everyone else was cautiously hoping that Peorth's new found friendliness   
would extend to them as well. It was a nice hope while it lasted. A problem quickly   
arose. While Tenchi and Co. had been away in Tokyo, Peorth had moved into Ryoko's   
room. Now Ryoko was back.  
" I don't see why she can't sleep on the couch." Peorth said. She looked at   
Tenchi as if he was a bug. They were standing in Ryoko's room. Peorth was sitting on   
the bed, now luxuriantly (what else) redesigned. Tenchi was standing near the door with   
Ryoko floating over his shoulder. Ayeka stood by Peorth.  
" Well, she was here before you. I'm sure we can get you a room as soon as we   
have to rebuild the house again, which we have to do that fairly often around here. Until   
then, we have to make other arrangements." Tenchi s said. He scolded himself for being   
so non-confrontational.  
" It's not like she actual uses it all that often" Ayeka argued. " She sleeps   
elsewhere all the time. On the rafters, on the roof, on the couch. Frankly I'm not sure   
she even NEEDS to sleep. She doesn't need to eat or breathe either."   
" Traitor." Ryoko mumbled, then she cracked her knuckles. " I have an idea.   
I'll fight you for it. If I win, you find your own damn room." Peorth balked at Ryoko.  
" I don't think you understand the powers I have at my command." She stood up   
and made a stretching motion with her arms. " But if you wish it…"   
" No! No fighting, damn it!" He said. Tenchi's outburst surprised Ayeka, who   
had realized maybe she had gone too far. Tenchi was truly worried about what would   
happen if Peorth fought Ryoko. She might be powerful enough to give Ryoko a real   
challenge, and things could very out of hand. 'The Goddess versus the devil', Tenchi   
thought, ' if Peorth is half as powerful as I think she may be, things could get very ugly.'  
" Peorth, perhaps it would be best if you stayed somewhere else." She said   
diplomatically. " Perhaps you could set something up in the store room? You could   
magic yourself up something." Peorth, frowned in annoyance, never looking away from   
Ryoko. " Very well." She said, making a curtsey. " You wish is my command, your   
highness." She said, stood up, bowed, and left.  
The morning started out calmly enough. Trying to get on princess Sasami's good   
side, Peorth absolutely refused to let her cook breakfast, saying it was beneath a princess   
to do that. As if it wasn't beneath a goddess too, Tenchi thought, but Sasami only nodded   
and left. She didn't quite realize that Sasami actually wanted to do these things. After   
breakfast, things actually settled down. Tenchi went out to work in the field, Ryoko   
retired to doing nothing as usual, Mihoshi began doing her chores, while Noboyuki   
headed out early to work. Peorth was not happy when she found out what Ayeka and   
Sasami did around the house. She refused to let them do any work. Ayeka was happy for   
the break, but Sasami kept telling him she liked doing it. Ryoko would have found it   
funny seeing Peorth running herself ragged, doing all of Sasami's chores, if she didn't   
feel so bad realizing how much work Sasami had been doing. ' Well, at least that stuck   
up goddess is doing it all now. Maybe I'll visit her when she's cleaning the toilets." She   
smirked.   
Ryoko sat back on the couch, missing the rafters she used to sleep on. They'd   
been replaced when Peorth 'installed' the new ceiling, but she had to admit these couches   
were comfy. She frowned as a yawning princess Ayeka came down. Apparently the   
two-faced princess had taken a little nap when she found out she wouldn't have to do   
anything today.   
" So the traitor princess wakes up. I hope your parents aren't as fickle as you, or   
else I don't know how Jurai has any allies left." She said. Ayeka scowled at her.  
" Some greeting, for someone who's supposed to be an ally." She said crossly.   
Ryoko stared at her.  
" After what you've been doing?" She hissed. " I don't see why I shouldn't put   
you through the wall, you stupid princess." Ayeka stuck up her chin, insulted.  
" You're the stupid one. Do you really think a few words would seriously   
convince me she's willing to serve me as some holy queen?" She said. " Honestly   
Ryoko, I'm insulted. I'm a princess of Jurai. I heard things like that every day. What   
makes you think being told them again by some self-proclaimed goddess would change   
anything?"  
" So you're saying you're doing this to find out more about Peorth, and not to   
piss me off?" Ryoko said. Ayeka appeared thoughtful for a moment.   
" I'm saying it's the main reason." She smiled. Ryoko scowled.   
" Why you.." Ryoko bristled, but Ayeka wagged her finger at her like she was a   
naughty child.  
" Tut tut, Ryoko. Don't make me call for my guardian 'goddess', so it were."   
Ayeka said smugly.   
" Like I fear that faux-divine bitch. It wouldn't take five seconds for me too…"   
Ryoko snapped, but clear beautiful voice interrupted her.   
" Highness?" Peorth said, standing in the front hallway, holding the laundry that   
Ayeka normally would have been doing. " Is this… woman. Giving you any trouble?"   
" No trouble, Peorth. Just chit-chat." She said. Peorth nodded.   
" If you need anything…" Peorth said, smiling sweetly. " Don't hesitate to   
ask." She turned to go, but stopped, thinking.  
" Your highness, where does this door lead?" She asked, indicating the door   
under the stairs.  
" Oh, that door leads to Washu's lab." Ayeka said. Peorth nodded, her thanks.   
" You have some nerve, Ayeka." Ryoko hissed quietly, standing up. " You   
better find out what you need to real quick, because I don't know how much longer I'm   
going to be putting up with this." She said, cracking her knuckles menacingly, and then   
floating off. " I'm going to go find Tenchi." There was a quiet noise as she teleported   
away, and what sounded like someone trying to open a door. Ayeka, startled, got up to   
go find Tenchi too. Suddenly there was a huge crash from the front hall way.   
" Ahhh." Ayeka heard Peorth groan. She went to look at the cause, and saw   
Peorth standing in front of the door to Washu's lab. She was shaking her hand, as if she   
punched something really hard. The door seemed unaffected.   
" Locked." Peorth simply said.  
  
  
  
" Oh Tenchi!" A voice cried across the carrot field. Tenchi cringed in a   
Pavlovian response. Every time he heard them, something bad happened. Something   
was different this time, though. He looked up and saw Sasami and Ryo-oh-ki coming   
aross the field.   
" Oh hi Sasami!" He said. He put down his hoe, and waved. " What brings you   
out here?" Sasami ran up to him, breathing heavily in exhaustion, but still smiling   
broadly.  
" Peorth won't let me * huff * do any of my chores, so I thought I could help you   
* puff *." She said. Tenchi sighed.   
" Sasami, why don't you just take a break? You always do so much around   
here." Tenchi said. Sasami shook her head.  
" I know, but you and your dad so much for us, I just want to help." She said.   
Tenchi looked around for something simple to do.  
" Why don't you just carry the basket. Hold on.." He reached into the basket   
and picked out Ryo-oh-ki.   
" mwwfr." The cabbit said, with it's mouth full of carrot.  
" Why don't you carry the basket, and keep Ryo-oh-ki out of it." He dropped the   
cabbit unceremoniously on the ground.  
" All right, Tenchi." She said, lifting it up. It was only half full, but she still   
staggered under the weight.   
" You don't have to pick it up, you can just drag it." Tenchi said, waving his   
hands in protest. Sasami blushed, embarrassed, but she put it down.  
" I'm sorry. It's just that I've been so bored since Peorth got here. She won't let   
me do anything." Sasami grumbled. Tenchi moved forward a few paces, and Sasami   
followed.   
" Well, did you think about doing something, I don't know, fun? You know, girl   
stuff." Tenchi said uncomfortably. " You could watch TV or read some manga's? I   
always thought you do too much around here."   
" But I like helping!" She argued. " I like knowing that people need me."   
" We do need you Sasami. But maybe we need you to much. Have you ever   
considered making some friends around here?" Sasami gasped.  
" You don't think of me as a friend? I always thought of everyone here as my   
friend." She said, near panic.  
" No! No! That's not what I meant." He knelt down, holding her by the   
shoulders. " You're one of my best friends Sasami. I meant more friends of your own   
age. I know there aren't a lot of people living near here, but we could do something.   
You could even go to school."  
" But what about all the things I do?" She said.  
" Maybe now that Peorth is here we could convince her to do some work?" He   
said, and she looked at him skeptically. " Yeah I know. She'll probably quit tomorrow,   
but maybe Ayeka and Ryoko can pick up the slack." He said. Sasami still didn't look   
quite happy. " Sasami, how do you feel about Peorth?" Sasami drew in a breath.   
" She seems nice." She said unemotionally, and Tenchi gave her a disbelieving   
look. " I just doing like thinking about it." She sighed. " What I am." A sudden   
turmoil arose in Tenchi. ' Do I tell her the truth about her and Tsunami? It's causing her   
so much pain not knowing. How much would it cause to know?' Tenchi thought.  
" Sasami." Tenchi said, and she looked at him with eyes beginning to tear up.   
He put his arm gently on her shoulder, and smiled comfortingly at the scared young girl.  
" You are you. You will always be you, and it is you whom we love. It may sound   
strange, but it doesn't matter who you are as long as you are you."She looked at him for   
a few seconds, then finally completely broke down. She dropped the basket of carrots,   
and threw herself on Tenchi.   
" Oh Tenchi Tenchi!" She said, barely understandable through her choked sobs.   
" Do you really mean it?"  
" Of course Sasami." He picked her up, and held her close. " I thought we went   
over this before. You're important to us."  
" What's going on here?" A new voice asked. Sasami gasped, and Tenchi let her   
go.  
" You like me too Ryoko, right?" Sasami said. Ryoko looked at Sasami, then at   
Tenchi, who was nodding 'yes' vigorously behind Sasami's back.   
" Of course I do, silly. What's this all about?"   
" It's just with the Peorth here, I've been doing a lot of thinking about Tsunami   
and me." She said. Ryoko frowned.  
" Peorth, eh? Well if Peorth does anything more…" She said, but Sasami shook   
her head.  
" No, Peorth's been nice to me. It's just that… I don't like thinking about… I'm   
not a real person."   
" Sasami, yes you are." Tenchi said. " You're real enough. Even if you were   
made by someone, that doesn't make you any less you." Ryoko reached over and   
pinched her cheek.  
" You feel real enough to me."   
  
  
The day passed so quietly, Tenchi dared to hope things might settle into a routine,   
like with Ryoko, Ayeka, and Mihoshi. Except for an incident in the evening, when   
Ryoko tricked Peorth into arguing with her on the deck, thus neatly distracting her from   
noticing the whistle of the re-entering Yukinojo. Ryoko teleported away before it hit, but   
Peorth got caught in the in the impact, and actually was knocked unconscious for a few   
minutes. It was all Ayeka could do to keep Peorth from taking a piece out of Ryoko.   
Tenchi furiously scolded Ryoko for it, and put pressure on Ayeka to keep Peorth from   
retaliating.   
Peorth cooked dinner that night, refusing to let Sasami do that, despite the fact   
that Sasami had begun to warm to her a little. Tenchi had to admit Peorth was a great   
cook, even if the French food she cooked was a bit rich. The night passed calmly, with   
Peorth again staying in the room she created in the store room, though Tenchi had no idea   
what had happened to the things in the store room. The next day passed just even quieter.   
Ryoko was avoiding Peorth after the talking too Tenchi gave her, and Peorth spent most   
of her time with Ayeka.   
Tenchi felt Peorth was adjusting well. She still gave Mihoshi and Noboyuki a   
hard time, but there were no more death threats. There was some grumbling about the   
workload, but not in front of Sasami or Ayeka. The third day Peorth was there went very   
peacefully. Ryoko kept in line, and Ayeka prevented Peorth from doing anything rash.  
But not the fourth.  
Peorth was carrying two full loads of washing. The two days labor had taken a   
toll on her, and although she still looked beautiful, like a goddess, it was beginning to   
show. . Her hair was beginning to get mussed, and their was sweat gleaming on her   
forehead. Still, she wouldn't let on to Sasami how great an annoyance this type of work   
was to her. She saw it as service as Tsunami, and she didn't want to Jurain princess to   
possibly feel guilty because she wasn't doing enough, though to be honest she couldn't   
see why Sasami would actually WANT to do this kind of work.  
" Sasami, where is Ayeka?" Peorth said. It had been bugging her all morning   
(even more so the doing menial labor). It was a small house, and there wasn't anything,   
as far as she'd seen, to do. Besides chores that is, and Peorth was getting nervous that   
Ayeka might be doing more chores that she would graciously have to 'volunteer' to do.   
Sasami put down her manga. She'd become addicted now that she didn't have any   
chores, though she still hung around Peorth while she was doing her chores, occasionally   
offering to help.   
" I think she went to the onsen." She said. Peorth had been to Japan before. In   
fact she'd been stuck living with Keiichi Morisato for a few weeks. And she knew very   
well what an onsen was.  
" We have an onsen?" She said, folding one of Ryoko's dresses.   
" Yep. Ryoko made it right after Mihoshi came." Sasami said. Peorth gently   
sighed. ' A hot spring. That would really be great right now.' She thought. ' Maybe   
once I get through here I'll stop by to see if Princess Ayeka needs anything.' She took   
the last dress from the washer.   
" Now I just have to hang these up…"  
" And today's my day to scrub the kitchen floors…"  
" So princess," the words absolutely oozed out of Ryoko's mouth. " Learn   
anything useful YET?" She picked up a sponge a scrubbed her arms. Ayeka sat on the   
other side, sipping a cup of sake, and not looking at all amused. She stared at Ryoko for   
a few seconds until a loud sound was heard.   
" You could at least have waited until Mihoshi left before you said anything."   
They'd both been soaking for a while, and this topic doubtlessly would have come up   
earlier, except that Mihoshi had been in there as well. They weren't going to say   
anything in front of the blonde bimbo that they didn't want getting back to Peorth.   
" These things take time Ryoko. I can't just go up to her and say 'Oh by the way,   
do you have any ulterior motives I should know about?"  
" Well you'd better figure out something quick. If you don't stop this crap by the   
weekend I swear I'm putting her through a wall." Ryoko grumbled. And then quieter "   
and probably you too."   
" All right, Ryoko. I'll tell her to ease up on you this weekend. You aren't doing   
a whole lot to help though, going and putting her under Mihoshi's ship. It was all I could   
do to keep her from ripping your throat out."  
" I just wanted to see what she was made of." Ryoko said, then chuckled. "   
What a lightweight. I've been hit by Mihoshi's ship a dozen time, and it's never done   
more then piss me off. She was out for a good couple of minutes. You should have sent   
he look on her face when she realized what that whistling sound was…" And she started   
laughing. A smile crossed Ayeka's face.  
" I can imagine. She doesn't seem to bright." Ayeka chuckled. " She's   
certainly not the goddess of wisdom. Anyone on Jurai would have figured out at least   
something was going on. She should have figured out something was up when I made   
her promise not to hurt you."  
" So, like I said before, have you learned anything yet?" Ryoko said, a little   
more forcefully. " Because it looks to me like she has no desire for Tenchi. And if you   
remember, that is why we're doing this."  
" I know, I know. Ryoko do you honestly think I would use this as a chance to   
get even for all the things you've done to me?" She said, looking crossly at Ryoko. Like   
the time you tied me up and locked me in the storage room? Or the time purposefully   
threw in those dark colors to ruin my light clothing? Or the…" Ryoko cut her off.  
" This weekend." She said flatly. " No longer."   
" All right." Ayeka sighed. She flexed her shoulders and sank deeper into the   
water. " My this breeze is wonderful." Ryoko shrugged a bit, and sank deeper in too.  
" You're right about that. But where's it coming from. Did Mihoshi leave the   
door open?" She looked around a bit. " Oh crap…" Ayeka blinked, and turned around   
too. Peorth was standing a dozen feet behind them, and apparently she'd heard enough to   
get mad, because she was so angry she was trembling with rage strong enough to   
generate a strong wind. Ryoko looked a bit worried though.  
" Well, she was going to have to find out sooner or later." Ayeka shrugged, not   
feeling particularly terrified.  
" I was wondering why you didn't want me to do anything to Ryoko." She said,   
through gritted teeth.  
" Afraid so. Nothing personal you understand." Ayeka said. She was going to   
say more but Peorth wasn't listening she stepped forward, grabbed Ryoko by the arm and   
literally picked her up and hurled her through the wall. Ayeka stared, dumbfounded. She   
realized belatedly, that her outer calmness during everything, even making nice with   
Ryoko, had been an act for her, and she remembered how ill tempered she had been when   
she first arrived. Peorth talked without looking at her.   
" Princess Ayeka. No one uses a goddess first class, let alone me. I'll leave you   
alone because I fear Tsunami's wrath." She said, then to fly towards the wall. " But I   
have unfinished business with her. And you… I've never questioned Tsunami before,   
but you make me wonder why Tsunami would honor the royal family." Ayeka sank   
down into the water, feeling more thankful then ever that she was a member of Jurai. 


	3. Chapter 3a: How many people want to kic...

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Not Ah! My Goddess!   
  
Characters or Tenchi Muyo! If I did, I would be a very rich (not to   
  
mention talented) man. I'm just writing this fic because I enjoy   
  
writing, and enjoy those two mangas. If you want to sue me, fine, but   
  
keep in mind I have less then $100 in my checking account at any given   
  
time, and I'm giving free advertisement with this fic. Now that the   
  
legal info is over, enjoy me newest creation.  
  
Note: It's ironic, really. When I sat down to write this chapter, I thought it   
  
would be my shortest. Instead it's my longest. It's gotten me thinking though.   
  
Maybe I should break my chapters into parts. That way I can put them out   
  
quicker. I'm going to experiment that way with chapter 4. It'll feature a   
  
lovely party where the AMG and TM! Gang get to know each other. Of course   
  
hijinks will ensue, but I digress for now. I'm always interested in feedback,   
  
so feel free to email me or AIM me, both are at the bottom. Also, I decided to   
  
just cut out my cameos. I didn't like them anyway.  
  
Note2: I decided that it was too long. I'm breaking it up into parts.  
  
Chapter 3: How many people wanna kick some ass? I do, I do!  
  
Tenchi knew the moment he heard the explosions coming from the direction   
  
of onsen. He didn't know how or why they'd pissed Peorth off, or why, but he   
  
knew no good would come of this. He tossed down his hoe and raced too the lake,   
  
hoping he could do something.   
  
" I did not become a goddess to suffer those with no respect." Peorth   
  
shouted.   
  
" Then you shouldn't come into contact with anyone smart enough to see   
  
you're an idiot." Ryoko said. Both women hovered about twenty feet above the   
  
placid water. She didn't seem to be bothered by the cool breeze blowing over   
  
the lake, though she surely felt it, because she was still completely naked.   
  
She didn't seem to be bothered with that either.   
  
" You know, if you're pissed at Ayeka, you should try to kick her ass."   
  
Ryoko offered helpfully. " Not that I don't want to do it myself..."  
  
" Ohhhhhh, mon cher', but I am pissed at you. My fury at Ayeka just   
  
makes me even more irritated, and since I can't give her the beating she so   
  
deserves...." She said, and without so much as a nod, suddenly she flew forward   
  
with a dashing punch towards Ryoko's gut. Ryoko managed to twist out of the   
  
way, flowing into a kick that actually spun her upside down. Peorth caught it   
  
and shoved Ryoko back.  
  
" You shouldn't say things like that." Ryoko smirked, still upside down,   
  
she floated back a few feet to put some distance between them. " What would   
  
Tsunami say if she heard you wanted to beat a princess of Jurai?"   
  
" I don't plan on telling her." Peorth said.  
  
" Oh, but I might mention it to her. I see her everyonce in a while."   
  
Ryoko said. Peorth grew furious.  
  
" As if you could know holy Tsunami." She fumed. " I'm so sick of your   
  
smugness. You pretend as if you know everything, but you don't even know enough   
  
not to challenge me. Your smug pretentiousness is reason enough to punish you.   
  
Tsunami indeed." She said. It was no small irony, Ryoko thought, that Tsunami   
  
was watching them right now. Or at least Sasami was. Sasami, Tenchi, Mihoshi,   
  
and Noboyuki was watching them from the deck. Even Ayeka had thrown on a robe   
  
and was watching them. Except Washu, Ryoko realized. She hadn't seen her   
  
'mother' since Peorth arrived. And Tenchi was watching too, staring at her,   
  
with a huge nosebleed. Confuesed, she looked down.  
  
" Oh right." It wasn't such a huge problem, but she wanted Tenchi to   
  
witness her great victory, not pass out due to blood loss. She turned to the   
  
goddess. " Give me one second Peorth." She teleported down to the deck, while   
  
Peorth shouted a curse at her, furious to be ignored. Ryoko briefly considered   
  
stealing Ayeka's robe, seeing as she was probably naked beneath it. But she   
  
didn't need to be fighting an enraged god and humiliated Jurai princess at the   
  
same time. Instead she floated over to Noboyuki. He blushed and stared at the   
  
naked Ryoko.  
  
" Sorry Nobo, gotta borrow these." She said, and phased his pants and   
  
shirt right off his body. It took him a moment to realize where the breeze came   
  
from, but when it did he shrieked like a little girl and ran back to the house   
  
to get more clothes.   
  
" Ryoko, Ayeka told me what happened, but do you really have to fight?"   
  
Tenchi pleaded. Ryoko threw on the pants and shirt, grinning at Tenchi.  
  
" Tenchi, there's a time when some ass needs to be kicked, and now is   
  
that time. Peorth needs to be taken down a notch or two." She buttoned the   
  
last button on Noboyuki's shirt, then leaned towards Tenchi. " Kiss for luck?"   
  
Tenchi blushed. " No, all right. All right Peorth, lets get started." She   
  
floated back up towards Peorth, who was stamping her foot impatiently on   
  
nothing. Ryoko flexed her fingers, and stared hungrily at Peorth.   
  
" Good luck Ryoko." Ayeka shouted.   
  
" Kick her butt, Ryoko!" Mihoshi shouted.  
  
Peorth threw her a mean look but said nothing. Ryoko smirked at her. Then with   
  
a 'whoosh' teleported behind Peorth and mule kicked her. Peorth was thrown   
  
about   
  
twenty feet before she stopped herself.  
  
" Let's go." Ryoko said smugly.  
  
" I'll remember you fight dirty." Peorth noted, as she rubbed her back.   
  
She dashed woards Ryoko. Ryoko charged too, letting loose a war cry. As the   
  
two were about to meet, Ryoko threw a hook at Peorth. The punch went wide, and   
  
Ryoko realized the she was about to hurt. Peorth had suddenly dashed straight   
  
up, and came down a punch of her own. In an instant Ryoko was smashed downward,   
  
and with a splash landed in the lake. Peorth smirked looking down into the   
  
lake.   
  
" What's going on?" Noboyuki said, arriving back at the lake, fully   
  
clothed.   
  
" Peorth hit Ryoko into the lake, and she's still waiting for her to come   
  
up." Tenchi said.  
  
" And she doesn't see..." Noboyuki asked, staring at the two girls.  
  
" Not yet." Tenchi said. For a few moments Peorth looked down into the   
  
lake.   
  
" I guess she can't swim." Peorth mused.   
  
" I really want to feel bad for Peorth right now, but I just can't."   
  
Noboyuki said. After a few more mo ments, Peorth started to become concerned.   
  
She hadn't wanted to hurt the woman too bad...  
  
" I guess you forgot I could teleport." Said a sopping wet Ryoko,   
  
hovering a few feet behind her. Startled, Peorth let out a yelp and tried to   
  
turn around but Ryoko was already in motion. She grabbed her leg and started   
  
spinning her around, finally letting her loose, sending her straight into the   
  
lake.   
  
" You know, I never thought about it, but I can't swim, can I?" Ryoko   
  
said to no one in particular. She looked down into the lake, occasionally   
  
throwing a look behind her shoulder to make sure Peorth wasn't trying the same   
  
thing she had just done. So she didn't notice the water beginning to stir, even   
  
though the wind was still steady. " Maybe I can get Tenchi to give me some   
  
lessons. Yeah, then I get to show off my bathing suit." Suddenly remembering   
  
she was supposed to be fighting, she called down into the lake.   
  
" I am not coming down there to kick your ass. I got wet today all   
  
ready." She said. As if in answer, the water in the lake started swirling,   
  
like in a drain. Surprised she started floating upwards, to avoid whatever was   
  
coming, but it was much too late.  
  
At first the water bulged upwards, then a split second later exploded   
  
upwards, in a column of water eight feet wide. Ryoko's heart skipped a beat,   
  
but she was too experienced to let it stop her long. She darted sideways and   
  
the water missed her by a few feet, but then the water curved around and   
  
followed her. She furiously tried to dodge it but it followed her every move.  
  
" Hell maybe she is a goddess." She cursed, shooting upwards. " But I   
  
can still take her." She fired blasts back towards the water without looking,   
  
but the ones that hit merely sprayed water around, the column still closed.  
  
" Don't speak to quickly." Ryoko barely had time to curse as Peorth came   
  
out slammed her fist into Ryoko's stomach. Peorth shouted, and threw herself   
  
and Ryoko forward and into wall of water. The water didn't touch Peorth, but   
  
slammed against Ryoko like a huge wave. Ryoko grunted in pain as the water   
  
choked her. Summoning her will, she let her energy build up, and then explode   
  
outward. The explosion dissipated the geyser, and threw Peorth away.   
  
" I'm a Goddess first class, unlimited." Peorth said, wringing water out   
  
of her hair. " I have more then mere strength at my disposal. I have class A   
  
magics, and if that's not enough, I can still tap the unlimited power of   
  
Yggdrasil." She taunted.  
  
" Good." Ryoko said, while hacking the last of the water out of her   
  
lungs. " That means I don't have to hold back." She quickly fired off an   
  
energy blast and charged right behind it. Peorth dodged to the left and Ryoko   
  
came at her. She hit Ryoko with a quick jab, then followed up with a harder   
  
punch, but Ryoko recovered and grabbed her arm. Peorth brought both feet up and   
  
kicked off Ryoko, freeing herself, then making a motion with her hand. Ryoko   
  
felt the energy building, and teleported away right as lightning crackled   
  
through where she just was.   
  
Ryoko decided to play keep away, to try and wear down Peorth. She shot   
  
another energy blast at Peorth but this time stayed back and shot again and   
  
again, raining energy pn the goddess. Peorth twisted and turned past them all,   
  
then summoned up energy of her own and blasted Ryoko. Ryoko created a shield to   
  
block it, but as it dissipated she heard Peorth chanting.  
  
" Howling spirits of the wind, I summon thee! Hear my call and attack."   
  
In an instant the wind became near hurricane force. Seeing the only way out as   
  
up, Ryoko shot towards the opening, being buffeted by winds. As she escaped she   
  
prepared for the attack she knew was coming. Peorth choose to fire off   
  
lightning bolt at that moment, and Ryoko summoned her light sword. It couldn't   
  
block lightning, but it could channel it. She formed the sword into a circle,   
  
trapping the energy. She hurled the ring at Peorth. She reached out and batted   
  
it away. Ryoko teleported behind her and punched her hard. Peorth let a squeak   
  
escape her lips, but quickly recovered.   
  
" You know," Tenchi sighed. " She's really pretty good." He watched   
  
them continually counter and counter-counter each other, so skilled it was   
  
almost impossible for either to get a hit in. Ryoko grabbed one of Peorth's   
  
punches, then went into a sort of aerial shoulder throw, tossing Peorth straight   
  
into the ground... through the Masaki house. " Like I didn't see that coming."   
  
Tenchi groaned.  
  
" Don't worry." Noboyuki said, wearing a brand new set of clothing.   
  
Tenchi thought he recognized one of his shirts. " I already called the   
  
construction crews. They'll be here tomorrow."   
  
" I suppose I better go air out the camping gear." Sasami said, " Try   
  
not to let them hurt each other. It'll just make more work for me." and she   
  
left. There was a loud crash, and the dining room table created another hole in   
  
the Masaki house roof. Ryoko slashed it in half with one swing of her sword.   
  
Peorth flew up from the house cursing surprisingly violently.   
  
" Why won't you be die!" She shouted, summoning a lightning storm.   
  
Ryoko managed to dodge them all. Peorth was beginning to slow down. Using all   
  
this magic must tire her, Ryoko thought. ' Not that I'm doing much better. I   
  
don't know how much longer I can keep dodging.'  
  
" I've fought bigger and better then you. You're nothing compared to   
  
Kagato." Ryoko said. Peorth ignored her, grabbing the cords from one of her   
  
earings, and plucked the ball off the end.   
  
" I didn't want to do this." As she started to chant, Ryoko sped towards   
  
her, determined to shut her up, but Peorth finished just before, and hurled the   
  
orb at Ryoko, now just a few feet away. Instinctively, Ryoko reached out and   
  
grabbed it, while Peorth frantically flew backwards to get away. Ryoko could   
  
feel to power build up in her hand, and realized what a mistake she had made.   
  
Her first instinct was to throw it away, but that would probably just cause it   
  
to explode. She was feeding all her energy to create a forcefield to contain   
  
the energy. She spared a glance at Peorth, to make sure she wasn't about too   
  
attack, but Peorth was just staring at her. Peorth didn't want to come anywhere   
  
near her. She felt it expanding despite her effort. She cursed silently,   
  
putting all her effort into keeping it. It wasn't over of course, and Ryoko   
  
knew that. She still had her gem. She'd never told anyone, but aside from   
  
controlling evil spirits, she couldn't truly use her gems, or gem as it was now.   
  
It was strange, like Tenchi, she could only use her power when under great   
  
stress. Like now. She felt a warmth began at her wrist, and knew it had begun.   
  
She squeezed gently, and the powerful magic conllapsed. It wasn't the first   
  
time this had happened. It had happened against Kagato, it had happened against   
  
Clay. Suddenly she would become more powerful, though neither time it had been   
  
enough. Tenchi had saved her both times. Of course, she'd only had one gem of   
  
three then...  
  
Smirking, she crushed the orb, and tossed it gently over her shoulder. It   
  
landed in the lake, and a second later exploded like a depth charge. Peorth   
  
stared in shock and awe.  
  
" That was a Level 25 Grants spell. No pirate could do that. Most low   
  
level goddess's couldn't cast that, let alone contain it." Peorth said. "   
  
What the hell are you?" Ryoko shrugged, shaking the ache out of her hand.  
  
" Eroticism embodied?" She offered smirking. She couldn't let on how   
  
much she hurt. It had cost a lot of energy to counter that, even with the gem.   
  
It only seemed to infuriate Peorth more. The winds whipped around her, and a   
  
came together behind her. The winds became solid, taking on an female, or more   
  
appropriately, an angelic form, dressed in rose stems.   
  
" Nice trick. Who's your friend?"  
  
" La Rose magnifique, my angel. All goddesses have angels to serve them   
  
in their duty whenever necessary, including BEATING PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW   
  
WHEN TO BACK DOWN TO A BLOODY MESS!" Peorth shouted. Her frustatration was   
  
showing, her cheeks redden'd with anger. She was becoming furious, but there   
  
was also a hint of desperation. It was pretty obvious to Ryoko that after this,   
  
she had no more tricks. Of course she may not need them. She was fighting TWO   
  
people now...  
  
Not waiting for an invitation, Ryoko fired off a quick, weak energy blast.   
  
Peorth and her angel split up, leaving an opening where Ryoko teleported in.   
  
She knocked her own energy blast towards Peorth, and quickly upper-cutted her   
  
angel. She shot off another blast at Peorth to keep her off balance, while she   
  
elbowed the angel in the stomach hard. The angel didn't seem to have the   
  
endurance of Peorth, and was knocked back twenty feet, stunned, but Peorth had   
  
already recovered and grabbed Ryoko, summoning an electric blast. Trapped,   
  
Ryoko took the full force.  
  
Even after the blast, Peorth still held on, and her angel recovered and   
  
delivered an upper cut of her own. Ryoko twisted, using the force of the punch   
  
to drive the back of her head into Peorth's face. Ryoko escaped her grip and   
  
punched Peorth in the head, a quick punch meant to disorient, not hurt. Ryoko   
  
was hurting too much. The angel tried to get Ryoko in a headlock, but Ryoko   
  
twisted and kneed her in the gut, grabbed her clothes. The thorns punctured her   
  
hand, drawing pin pricks of blood. The angel brought her hand around and   
  
elbowed her in the face. It rattled Ryoko's teeth, but she concentrated and   
  
tossed her into Peorth. The two got untangled, and backed off a little.   
  
They moved with such co-ordination without speaking that Ryoko guessed they had   
  
a telepathic link, like her and Ryo-oh-ki.   
  
Peorth and La Rose Magnifique split up, in a pincer, keeping enough   
  
distance away to prevent the kind of combos she had pulled off before. Ryoko   
  
wasn't going to play their game, mostly because she couldn't. She was still   
  
hurting. The angel charged Ryoko. She just smirked. The angel swung, but hit   
  
nothing but air, because Ryoko had teleported behind Peorth. She had noticed   
  
the goddess had slowed down, and was letting the angel do all the fighting.   
  
Ryoko decided to try and take her out. She was weakened, more then Ryoko at   
  
least, and she might be able to hurt the angel as well, if they were linked.   
  
She summoned a light blade, and hurled it at Peorth. She managed to dodge the   
  
spinning blade but Ryoko teleported again.  
  
Ryoko punched Peorth across the lake. The angel immediately flew back and   
  
caught her mid fall. Peorth groaned a bit, barely conscious. The angel put her   
  
lightly on the ground, then charged at her again, but Ryoko flew back, while   
  
simply firing at Peorth, who had too little time and strength to dodge. She had   
  
simply wanted to take Peorth out so she couldn't snipe at her with magic, but   
  
the effect was just as well. The angel seemed startled, but quickly swooped   
  
down and took the full hit. Ryoko grimaced at it. The angel shook it off and   
  
came at her again in a near suicidal charge as Ryoko fired off another energy   
  
blast, and again the angel took the hit. Ryoko had to respect it's loyalty.   
  
She doubted Ryo-oh-ki would do this kind of thing.   
  
" I don't think you want to do this." Ryoko said. The angel didn't say   
  
anything, Ryoko wasn't certain if it could, but it came at her again. Ryoko   
  
grimaced, but was determined. She summoned her sword and charged as well, to   
  
make it fair at least. Ryoko dashed and swung hard right as the angel was   
  
within range, but suddenly it was gone. Ryoko jerked around ready for swinging   
  
blindly, as she searched desperately for the missing angel.   
  
" She's gone." Peorth said, her breathing ragged, as she held a hand to   
  
her chest. She thought she had a broken rib. " She protects me, but I have to   
  
protect her too."  
  
" Nice of you," Ryoko said, sincerely impressed, at her suicidal, but   
  
still kind, action. " Too bad she was all you had left."  
  
" I'm a goddess first class." Peorth repeated, but with no more   
  
confidence. " I don't lose." Ryoko almost pitied her. Peorth flew up, in a   
  
desperate final charge. Ryoko held her ground, so to speak, in the air. Peorth   
  
drew closer, and Ryoko still didn't move. Peorth cocked her fist back, and   
  
Ryoko's arm twitched. A sonic boom later, Ryoko's fist finishing her punch, and   
  
Peorth was hitting the ground behind the lake like a comet. She hit hard,   
  
leaving an crater five feet across, bounced in the air, and finally came to a   
  
rest a dozen feet behind. In the air, Ryoko cradled her broken arm.  
  
Continued in 3b... 


	4. Chapter 32: Rest and Reflecting after g...

When last we left our heroes, Ryoko had beaten Peorth in a long drawn out battle   
  
scene that could have been written better, but at the cost of several months   
  
without her arm. Now, Peorth regains conciousness, having been eaten by a bear.   
  
Just kidding, no bear. She was surrounded by a 2 inch deep gopher moat. If you   
  
get the joke, you need to get out more. But you enjoyed a funny as hell cartoon   
  
short.  
  
Peorth felt something cold and wet on her forehead, and belatedly realized she   
  
was conscious again. She picked up her arm to rub the ache in her face. Not   
  
just in her face, but her arms, all over her upperbody. She wanted to groan,   
  
but wouldn't allow herself. She was still a goddess, though one in pain. She   
  
still had her pride. She touched her face, but her left eye was swollen shut.   
  
" Oh, your awake." Said a bright, happy voice. Sasami, of course.  
  
" How long, highness?" Peorth managed to say, nearly choking. She tried   
  
to sit up but Sasami held her down. Peorth wanted to be feel bad about being   
  
overpowered by a little girl, but was too grateful for the excuse to sit down.   
  
She was tired, humiliated, and beaten, and all she wanted was to crawl into a   
  
pit and die.  
  
" Six hours." She said. " We're in your room. It was the only room   
  
that wasn't destroyed in the fight." She offered a cup to Peorth, who drank   
  
reluctantly.  
  
" Where is everyone else?" She said.  
  
" Outside, sleeping in the tents. Your fight with Ryoko pretty much   
  
destroyed the house." Sasami said, matter-of-factly. Peorth flinched, feeling   
  
a little guilty. " I wouldn't worry about it. Ryoko and Ayeka do it all the   
  
time."   
  
" Really?" Peorth scoffed. " They seemed like best friends to me."   
  
" Oh no, they fight all the time. Sometimes they work together, but they   
  
both love Tenchi and it makes them fight, and destroy the house too. I'm sorry   
  
you got involved this time."   
  
" Is that why you're helping me?" She mumbled.   
  
" Not really. You were nice to me, even if I didn't want your help."   
  
She said. She sat down a few feet away. " And I like helping people." Peorth   
  
was too proud to say thanks, but nodded towards Sasami.  
  
" Yes, you do." She managed. " You really do. I never should have   
  
kept you from doing your chores." She smiled a bit. Sasami smiled back.  
  
" That's our Sasami." Said a new voice that churned Peorth's stomach.   
  
Ryoko was leaning against the doorway, smirking for all she was worth. Peorth   
  
was almost glad to see her arm cradled in a sling. She hadn't escaped   
  
unharmed...  
  
" She just loves to help people. " Ryo-oh-ki jumped over peorth and landed in   
  
Sasami's arms. Sasami started looking concerned, and got up to ask Ryoko to   
  
leave, but Ryoko held up her good hand, in a gesture to wait. " Relax, I'm not   
  
going to start anything. I heard her voice from outside and wanted to check up   
  
on her after our little scuffle." She smirked, and pointed at Peorth. " I   
  
don't think she needs to be taught another lesson, do ya?" Peorth gritted her   
  
teeth, but held back the dozen vicious retorts, and violent acts. It   
  
became infinitely harder when she realized, she was doing it because Ryoko was   
  
right.   
  
She didn't sit up, or even look at Ryoko. She stared at the ceiling.  
  
" Fine. Anytime you feel like a re-match, come and find me." She said,   
  
then waved her hand as if to brush her off, and floated away.   
  
" You aren't going fight her again." Sasami said sternly, deeply   
  
worried. She moved closer to Peorth to take a look at her eye, but Peorth   
  
grasped her arm. She wanted to tell her to go away, but one look at her face   
  
made her pause. She seemed so perfectly innocent, she couldn't be mean to her.   
  
" No, Sasami, I won't fight with her anytime soon. I just want to rest   
  
for a while." She sighed and rolled over.  
  
" All right, if you're going to be okay..." She hesitated a moment,   
  
Peorth still didn't look well, but had to admit to herself she would probably be   
  
ok for a while. She gathered up Ryo-oh-ki and left. " Good night, Peorth."   
  
Sasami walked out the door. It was late at night, and everyone was camped out   
  
near the lake. Sasami made her way through the yard, covered in rubble from the   
  
house. The entire second and third floors had been totally destroyed, crashing   
  
into the living room and kitchen was wrecked, but the hallway only had a large   
  
imprint of Peorth in the wooden floor. Sasami unzipped the tent and went   
  
inside.  
  
" Well she's awake, and she remembers who she is." She sighed. Ayeka   
  
was barely awake, waiting for Sasami, wrapped up in her blanket. She looked up   
  
drowsily.  
  
" Sasami, don't worry about Peorth. Just get some sleep." She said, as   
  
Sasami dropped ryo-oh-ki and started letting her hair down.  
  
" But Ayeka, she needs help. Just because you don't like her means I   
  
shouldn't help her." Sasami said. "She seems a lot quieter now."  
  
" People like Peorth don't take losing well. She's too arrogant." Ayeka   
  
yawned. " She can't stand the idea that the way she see's herself isn't the   
  
way she really is. She's so much like Ryoko it's almost funny seeing them   
  
fight. Just give her a little time, and she'll be back annoying us all in no   
  
time." Then said quietly " We shouldn't have let her have the only dry room."  
  
" I guess, but you should talk to Ryoko. If Peorth gets into another   
  
fight she could get really hurt."   
  
" Sasami, I'm not that woman's keeper. Now lets get some sleep." Sasami   
  
sighed. Obviously her sister was going to be difficult. Ayeka had decided to   
  
distance herself from Ryoko now, probably to keep Peorth from getting even more   
  
upset with her. She layed down and went to sleep.  
  
" Hello, Masaki residence." Sasami said cheerfully, as she picked up the   
  
phone. It was Ten in the morning, and the house was pretty quiet, Peorth being   
  
asleep probably had a lot to do with that. Or at least pretending to sleep.   
  
There were a few too many fidgets the last time Sasami when in to check on her.   
  
But Sasami was glad to let her sleep. Peorth had always been nice to Sasami, but   
  
she'd earned little love with everyone else. The morning had been spent talking   
  
about the day before, and glorying in the downfall of the goddess. Mihoshi in   
  
particular was happy to see it. Peorth had been laying into her pretty badly,   
  
constantly making cracks about her competence, plus the occasional rose in her   
  
chair. It was a rather immature joke, but it still hurt when the thorns went in   
  
her bottom. Ayeka had also made a few cracks at Peorths expense. It was   
  
probably better she didn't hear those things.  
  
Of everyone though, Ryoko was the person that most surprised Sasami, not   
  
for what she did, but what she didn't do. She hardly even talked about it, and   
  
shrugged it off when anyone around here brought it up.  
  
" Hello," said a new voice. Sasami had never heard it before but it   
  
seemed familiar, a beautiful female voice. "I'm calling from the Earth   
  
assistance hotline." Sasami was standing in the hallway of the Masaki house,   
  
the only part not destroyed by Peorth's and Ryoko's battle, probably because of   
  
some forcefield Washu made to protect her lab.  
  
" Goddess relief office?" Sasami's breath caught in her throat. They   
  
didn't need anymore goddess' coming down now. Or did they know what happened to   
  
Peorth? Would they be upset? " C-can I help you?"   
  
" Is Goddess first class Peorth there?"   
  
" Ummm, yes she is, but I think she's asleep. I don't really want to   
  
disturb her." Sasami said. " What is this about?" She was worried that Ryoko   
  
might suffer some consequences. Deep inside, she felt as if there was nothing   
  
to worry about, and realized she was being subtly prompted by her 'other half'.   
  
'I wish Tsunami would just stay out of this.' She thought.  
  
" Oh, there were just some technical errors we need to discuss with her."   
  
The goddess said. " It's important though, so we really need to talk to her.   
  
Just tell her it's an urgent message from Yggdrasil."   
  
" I guess I could check." Sasami said. She put the phone down, and   
  
walked through the destroyed kitchen to the supply room where Peorth lay. She   
  
knocked a few times, and was greeted by rose piercing through the wall and   
  
stopping just inches short of   
  
her face.   
  
" It's really important Peorth." Sasami said, stepping away from the   
  
door cautiously.   
  
" Oh, it's you Sasami." Said Peorth. Her voice held a dejected air.   
  
Sasami peeked in. Peorth stared blandly at Sasami as she lay down on her mat. "   
  
Sorry about that."   
  
" It's okay... I guess. You have a call from... Heaven I guess.   
  
Something   
  
about an error, they want your help." Peorth seemed to shrug slightly, but   
  
slowly stood up and nodded.  
  
" I guess if they need me." She sighed. Sasami was amazed by how   
  
quickly she had healed. Most of the bruises were almost completely gone. Her   
  
eye, almost completely swollen shut the night before, was only barely puffy.   
  
The bruises on her body, Sasami thought. The bruises on her ego were still   
  
there. Peorth seemed to hang her head, where before she held it high atop her   
  
long, graceful neck. " Where's the phone?"   
  
" In the hallway, near the door to Washu's lab." Sasami said. " You   
  
missed breakfast this morning, do you want me to make something for you? We   
  
still have some miso I could heat up." Peorth stopped a second, and Sasami   
  
could imagine her almost smiling.   
  
" Oh, Sasami." She breathed. " You're the only one who's nice to me.   
  
I'm fine." She said, wearing a smile, but with eye's overshadowed. As she   
  
walked past the door to Washu's lab, she reached out and grabbed the knob in   
  
habit. It didn't open. " Tell me Sasami, is there really a Washu, or is this   
  
just some cruel joke everyone's been playing on me?"  
  
" Washu? Of course Washu's real. She most be working on something   
  
important. She usually at least comes to meals. I'm sure she'll turn up   
  
eventually."   
  
" Oh." Was all Peorth said. She picked up the phone. " Peorth here,   
  
what's going on?... I don't want to talk about it... I'm having a pretty bad   
  
week, lets just say... Oh, I don't think it could get much worse." Peorth said.   
  
Sasami didn't know what Peorth was going to hear exactly, but all ready felt   
  
like she was watching a train wreck in slow motion. " What... the hell... but   
  
shouldn't that mean..." Her hand was trembling with rage.  
  
" Um..Peorth?" Sasami said, backing up slowly. " What is it?" Peorth   
  
didn't seem to hear her.  
  
" That son of a bitch!... I don't care that I'm talking about the all-  
  
mighty, that mother...why won't he... Damn it!" she said, as she crushed the   
  
phone accidentally. She slammed down the wreckage of the receiver, destroying   
  
the phone. And the table it was on. And creating a new crater in the hall. "   
  
I'm going out!" She screamed and stomped out the door.  
  
Sasami immediately went and found Tenchi. Concerned, he searched for a   
  
bit, but decided it would be best to just leave her alone for a time. Two hours   
  
later was a good time, because by then she still hadn't come back. Five hours   
  
later when nobody had seen her, he started to really worry. When night fell he   
  
started looking again. An hour and a half later they'd come up with nothing.   
  
Noboyuki and Mihoshi were of the opinion that it had all been a big lie, and   
  
that she could have just gone anytime. Ayeka thought she was just off pouting   
  
and would come back sooner or later. Sasami, and oddly Ryoko, were the only   
  
ones really worried. Even Tenchi thought she was just pouting, but had to   
  
look for her, for Sasami's sake. With no place left to look, he had only one   
  
option to find her.  
  
" Washu, can I please talk to you?" He said. The door to her lab was   
  
locked tight, and Tenchi could only hope Washu was listening. " Washu, it's   
  
really important." He pressed on the door, and tapped the little window, but   
  
there was no response. He turned to leave, supposing to just look again. There   
  
was a creak and he felt a hand pullilng him backwards. He fell with a thud on   
  
the floor of Washu's lab, with the little red head staring down at him.  
  
" Sorry about that wait Tenchi, it's just that I'm kind of busy." She   
  
said. The first thing she noticed was how messy the lab was. Dirty plates,   
  
covered in the remains of meals, laundry were strewn about. Half broken   
  
machinery lay around the lab, torn apart with greasy tools sticking out and   
  
covered in oil. Washu even seemed a bit disheveled, her clothes were wrinkled,   
  
and stained with machine grease.  
  
" I can see." He said, standing up. " What is all this?"   
  
" Oh, just a few projects I'm working on." She said, making her way   
  
through the landfill of her works, to sit at her computer.  
  
" It's about Peorth." He said, and Washu gave her a weird look. "   
  
She's actually a goddess."   
  
" A goddess," Washu said with a nod. " I picked up some weird energy   
  
readings, but I didn't know it was a goddess." Tenchi looked at Washu as she   
  
said it.  
  
" You don't seem surprised." He said.   
  
" I am the greatest scientific genius in the universe!" She shouted. "   
  
I know   
  
everything. Except why she's here. She been a here for a while to be granting   
  
a wish."   
  
" Actually, it's kind of weird. My dad wished..." He said.   
  
" Your father wished? Wait, nevermind. go on." Washu said.  
  
" Yeah, my father wished that Peorth would stay with us for the rest of   
  
his life."  
  
" So she's going to be staying here for the rest of Noboyuki's life?"   
  
Washu grimaced. " Not that I care. I'm sure she loves being stuck with   
  
Noboyuki."  
  
" Actually, we're not certain she is. She's disappeared, and we can't   
  
find her. I came here hoping you could help us find her. We're kind of worried   
  
about her. Ryoko fought with her yesterday, and she's been upset since." Washu   
  
frowned, but punched up a command screen on her computer, banishing something   
  
that looked a lot like Tetris. Tenchi was sure it was really some advanced   
  
scientific monitoring thing.   
  
" It looks like your goddess is camping out in Ryoko's old room. Geez,   
  
what happened to the house?"  
  
" Ryoko and Peorth had a fight. Wait, by old room, do you mean..."  
  
" The chamber under Funaho." Washu said flatly.  
  
" Great." Tenchi sighed. " I guess I'll let you go back to work.   
  
Thanks Washu." He walked out the door. As it closed, a wrench was thrown   
  
through Washu's computer.  
  
Tenchi stared down the dark passageway. Before him lay the path he had   
  
walked so long ago, when he had disobeyed his grandfather, and met Ryoko for the   
  
first time. His hands tightened around Tenchi-ken, reflexively. Washu could   
  
tell him where Peorth was, but she couldn't tell him why she was there. He knew   
  
Peorth had left in a very bad mood, but he had no way of knowing if she was   
  
still pissed, or even why she was.   
  
He sighed and took his first step down the dark hallway. It smelled of   
  
mildew, and the floor was slick with rain that never evaporated, just like   
  
before. Only then, he hadn't known what was down there, and he did now. And he   
  
was scared. Belatedly he realized why. He was never scared Ryoko and Ayeka   
  
started fighting, no matter how fierce they got. That was because they loved   
  
him. He could appeal to that love if they ever got out of hand, no matter how   
  
violent they got, they would never hurt him. Peorth hated him. He had no   
  
reason to believe she wouldn't kick his ass without the slightest provocation.   
  
And that's what worried him.   
  
He came to the cobbled pathway behind the boulder, the final path to   
  
Ryoko's crypt. He stared down the dark, foreboding path.   
  
" Oh what the hell." He jumped down the path, slipping down the path as   
  
if it were a slide in the playground. He hit the ground, rolling to loose   
  
momentum, and came up in a crouch, hands tight on Tenchi ken.  
  
Peorth was sitting on the ground, dangling her feet in the cool waters.   
  
One hand was on the edge of the pool, the other toyed lightly with her ponytail.   
  
The crypt was dark, but the pool in the center glowed with an unearthly light,   
  
just like it had before, the first time he came in. She looked at him without a   
  
word.   
  
" Um Peorth." He said, slipping Tenchi ken into his pocket, but keeping   
  
his hand on it. He stood up and walked over to her. " Is everything okay?"  
  
" Everything okay?" She said, with a kind of sick humor in her voice. "   
  
Do you know what's happened to me this week? I became destined to live the rest   
  
of my life with a perverted dork. Turned into a serving maid for a spoiled   
  
princess. Beaten in combat by a mortal whom I should have easily defeated. And   
  
do you know why? Do you know how this came to be?" She almost sounded like she   
  
was going to laugh, and she stared down into the water. " A bug. There was a   
  
bug."   
  
" Huh?" Tenchi said. He didn't think Peorth was talking about an   
  
insect, though he didn't have any clue what she was talking about at all.  
  
" A bug, Tenchi. Yggdrasil isn't perfect, not like the main one on   
  
Jurai. There are glitches, and bugs." Now she really did start laughing. "   
  
You're father wasn't supposed to get a wish. My life was completely ruined   
  
because of a bug." She laughed again, a derisive laugh that sounded more of   
  
sorrow then joy. " They refuse to undo the wish, so I guess I'll be stuck with   
  
you for a while now."   
  
" What kind of heaven is yggdrasil if they won't try and undo their own   
  
mistake?"   
  
" The bureaucratic kind. They have rules, and they won't change." She   
  
said. She sounded disgusted when she spoke about the bureaucracy . " At least   
  
they got the right family this time. That's a lot better then most other screw   
  
ups." Tenchi moved closer. No longer thinking of her as a threat, he became a   
  
walking doormat of kindness again. He wanted to comfort her, maybe even with   
  
just a friendly hand on her shoulder. And then he realized what she had said.   
  
She looked him in the eye, and saw him realize it.   
  
" That wish was meant for you Tenchi." She scoffed. " as if Noboyuki   
  
had done anything to deserve whatever he desired."   
  
" No, just works hard without complaint to pay for our food, water, and   
  
repairs to the house since it gets destroyed every week." Tenchi muttered,   
  
defensively.   
  
" Every week?"   
  
" Nearly. Before you, Ayeka and Ryoko used to blow up the house whenever   
  
something riled them up." Tenchi said. " But about..."  
  
" So they really do hate each other." She went on as if he hadn't said   
  
anything. Her voice rang with true surprise, and she looked back into the   
  
water, as if considering something deeply. " I thought... I thought Sasami was   
  
just trying to make me feel better."   
  
" I was supposed to get a wish?" He said, sitting down next to her. His   
  
pantlegs and shoes were getting soaked, but she seemed to like it. She shifted   
  
closer to him.  
  
" Yes. Apparently you were deemed worthy, or needy enough. I could see   
  
either, with the people you live with. Though no one really knows why anyone   
  
gets a wish. Yggdrasil just decides."  
  
" What do I wish for." He said earnestly. He got a strange feeling.   
  
Anything, he could have anything. Money, power. The he realized, bemused, he   
  
could have both by simply choosing a girl. He smirked a little. He didn't need   
  
anything. But someone else did.  
  
" Take your time." Peorth said. " It's not like I'm going anywhere.   
  
At least you can't do worse then your father did."  
  
" No, I know what to wish for now. Peorth, I want you to be able to go   
  
home. I wish my fathers wish was nullified." She looked at him, unmoving as a   
  
statue. There was a trickle of water that seemed like a waterfall. " Did it   
  
work?"   
  
" Well, Non, Tenchi." She said, talking like she couldn't believe that   
  
had just happened. A wish can not be unwished. It's set in the system.   
  
Nothing except special permission from the all mighty can undo a wish. But,   
  
still..." Peorth gasped. She stared at him, unbelieving. " Sacre bleu, would   
  
you truly have given away your chance for anything, just to let me be happy? I   
  
always thought you didn't like me. You always ignored me…"   
  
" Of course I would have given up my wish. I don't really need anything.   
  
But you're not happy here. Even if it was just to keep the peace with Ryoko. I   
  
just ignored you because you didn't seem to want to have anything to do with me.   
  
I wanted you to have time to settle in, if you really were here until my dad   
  
dies. That plan seemed to work for everyone else." Tenchi said, shrugging it   
  
off as if it were nothing. " But I can't wish for another wish to end. What   
  
else can't I wish..." He was cut off by Peorth's hand clamping over his mouth.   
  
" Don't even think it Tenchi. You know what happened to Noboyuki." She   
  
said. " You might end up wishing the world end." She smirked. " I could do   
  
it too, if you wished it. It might end up for the better, if it keeps Ryoko and   
  
I apart. It's going to be a long lifetime for noboyuki."  
  
" It would be a lot better if you'd just get along with people." Tenchi   
  
said. He tried to look Peorth in the face, but she just swished water around   
  
with her feet.  
  
" Ha, as if I could. Everyone hates me." She pouted.  
  
"..." Tenchi sat, speechless for a moment. " Well, what exactly are you   
  
doing to make them like you? You insult Mihoshi, threaten my father with death   
  
and.. well, Ayeka and Ryoko are another matter, but they'll come around in time.   
  
Just be nicer. As the old saying goes, if you want to be loved, be lovable!"   
  
" I don't... I guess..." she blinked, looking him sheepishly. " Maybe   
  
your right. I guess I could be nicer. Noblesse oblige, I suppose. I am a   
  
goddess. I should help those less fortunate, like mortals." She stood up, and   
  
sighed. " Shall we go then. And don't forget, you've still got a wish. And   
  
for you, nothing short of your hearts desire."  
  
" Hearts desire? I'm sure something will come up." He offered her his   
  
hand, and politely helped her up the steep walkway. " Can I ask you a   
  
question? Your supposed to be with my father for the rest of his life, right?"  
  
" That's about it." She said.  
  
" Then why is it you don't have to go to work with my father? Is there   
  
some distance you have to be near him?" Tenchi asked. He'd been wondering how   
  
Peorth could always just go off on her own.  
  
" It's Yggdrasil." She said. Then realized Tenchi needed to know a   
  
little bit more. " Yggdrasil can monitor anything to make sure a wish is   
  
enforced. I could go anywhere, except back home, as long as in my heart I   
  
hadn't decided to never come back."  
  
" Wow. I can't think of any computer on Earth that could do that."   
  
Tenchi said. He noticed that although he had wanted to help her up the steep   
  
walkway, she'd been pulling him up most of the time.  
  
" You didn't have the three goddesses." She said, a smile coming to her   
  
face.   
  
" Tokimi, Washu, and Tsunami." Tenchi stopped dead, as he recognized all three   
  
names. Peorth thought he slipped again, and yanked him up. Tenchi decided to   
  
go speak with Washu.  
  
" Did you like my foie gras, Tenchi?" Peorth purred. It was two days   
  
after Peorth's sudden change of heart. Neither Peorth nor Tenchi were all that   
  
forthcoming about what had happened, been the change had been great. She was a   
  
more friendly with Noboyuki. He still treated her like a panther, but now as a   
  
well-fed panther that didn't want to eat him, for now at least. Her first act   
  
had been to contribute to the reconstruction of the Masaki house. It seemed she   
  
knew a spell for turning water into gold. So now she had a new room, and   
  
Noboyuki had a lot more money.  
  
She was most certainly more friendly towards Tenchi. She saw towards   
  
any need he had, and with her god like (heh) speed, she beat Ryoko and Ayeka to   
  
it easily. Normally this would have been a major problem. Certainly Ayeka and   
  
Ryoko were jealous, but at the time, they trusted each other too little to do   
  
team up, and could only snipe at her occasionaly, to which she would always   
  
reply as politely as possible, earning only stern looks from Tenchi. For the   
  
time, Peorth ruled.   
  
" It was wonderful, Peorth. Kind of fattening though..." He said, as   
  
Peorth grinned brightly, and cuddle next to him. There was a loud snap as Ryoko   
  
broke her chopsticks. She stared harshly at Peorth, but said nothing. " What   
  
is it?"   
  
" Goose."   
  
" Um, what part?"  
  
" Not an important one." She said. She lifted up the plate, and held it   
  
in offering to Noboyuki. " Would you like some too dear?"  
  
" I guess so." He said, and took a little. It tasted of a dozen   
  
different flavors, melded exquisvely, of which Noboyuki noticed none. "   
  
Doesn't taste like poison." He muttered. He tried another piece. He didn't   
  
think it was poisoned, but a lot of strange things had happened to him in the   
  
past two days. He'd nearly drowned in the tub, electrocuted by the toaster,   
  
choked on grapefruit. Peorth had claimed to know nothing about it.   
  
" Peorth, were you talking to Yggdrasil today?" Sasami asked. " I saw   
  
you on the phone. Were you able to get them to repeal the wish?"  
  
" Oh that wasn't Yggdrasil. Just some... old friends."  
  
" Who were you talking to on the phone today, Belldandy?" Keiichi   
  
Morisato said. It was quiet at the Morisato house. The kind of quiet that made   
  
Keiichi Morisato nervous, even though Urd and Skuld were both at the table with   
  
him. The kind of quiet that was usually referred to as the calm before the   
  
storm. The fact that nothing awful had happened that day only added to his   
  
fears. Still though, years of expierience had taught him to enjoy the quiet   
  
moments he had with Belldandy. Just to watch his back while he enjoyed them...  
  
" Oh, that was Peorth." Belldandy said. Urd choked on her dinner.   
  
" Peorth? What's ole' flower girl up to these days." Urd said. Peorth   
  
was an old acquaintance of Belldandy and her sisters, both from Yggdrasil and...   
  
more recently. Belldandy and Peorth were actually rivals, both goddess' first   
  
class and from rival agencies, but Belldandy didn't quite understand that.   
  
" She's down here on Earth." Belldandy said cheerfully. " It seems   
  
someone made a wish similar to Keiichi's." Urd and Skuld exchanged looks for a   
  
moment.   
  
" Hahahahahahahahaha!" Urd bellowed, stamping her hand against the   
  
table.  
  
" Peorth is stuck with some loser!" Skuld laughed. Keiichi wanted to be   
  
offended, he just wasn't certain he'd been insulted. " I can't believe two   
  
people made that wish."  
  
" Now now Skuld, I'm sure he's very nice." Belldandy said. She turned   
  
to Keiichi. " Keiichi dear, do you think we could visit her. She's at the   
  
Masaki shrine. It's not too far from here." Keiichi didn't think Belldandy was   
  
completely oblivious to the havoc Peorth had caused when she'd stayed with them.   
  
Or the fact that Peorth considered them rivals. But he still didn't undertand   
  
why she wanted to see the Peorth. " She seemed so lonely when I talked to   
  
her..." Simple answer, Keiichi realized. It was Belldandy.  
  
" I guess so." He rubbed the back of his head, in a nervous gesture.   
  
" Spring break is coming up. I don't see why not." Whatever hell awaited him   
  
for the next week, but it was all worth it to see Belldand smile.  
  
Note: So that's chapter 3. I've never written an action scene that long   
  
before, so if you have any ideas, or just great fight scenes you want to point   
  
out to me, feel free. My Email is Confuciousays@hotmail.com, and my AIM is   
  
confuciousays82. Please only constructive criticism. Don't just email me   
  
saying 'You suck.' Tell me why you think I suck. 


	5. Chapter 41: The gang is all here er gan...

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Not Ah! My Goddess!   
  
Characters or Tenchi Muyo! If I did, I would be a very rich (not to   
  
mention talented) man. I'm just writing this fic because I enjoy   
  
writing, and enjoy those two mangas. If you want to sue me, fine, but   
  
keep in mind I have less then $100 in my checking account at any given   
  
time, and I'm giving free advertisement with this fic. Now that the   
  
legal info is over, enjoy me newest creation.  
  
Author's note: For a new 'shorter' version, it's still pretty long.  
  
Tenchi Muyo! Yggdrasil  
  
Chapter 4 episode 1: The gang is all here. Er, gangs...  
  
" So when are they gonna get here?" Ryoko whined impatiently on the driveway, her broken arm twitching. Tenchi, Ayeka, Ryoko, Mihoshi, and Peorth were out in the driveway, awaiting the arrival of their visitors. Visitors they hadn't known were coming until the morning before. Peorth had neglected to mention it... " We've been waiting for half an hour." Sasami had stayed inside, saying she wanted to finish setting up. Washu still hadn't shown up, she was going on a week and a half abscent, and Noboyuki was inside for... other reasons.  
  
" They're goddess, and the divine protectors of time itself." Peorth said, dismissing her. " They've done more for this pitiful little world then YOU'VE ever done, so shut up and wait."   
  
" Did they ever save the planet from Kagato? I don't think so. So you can cram it!" She huffed. " You'd think the diving guardians of time could be one time, or at least make us think they were..." The two locked eyes, faces inches away from each other. Tenchi had noticed a disturbing trend lately. Ryoko and Peorth had been snapping at each other since their fight, almost constantly. They were almost worse then Ayeka and Ryoko. Tenchi had been worried for a while that a full three way brawl would break out between the three, but thankfully that hadn't happened, and for a reason Tenchi never   
  
expected.  
  
" As I recall Tenchi did most of the fighting, while you just lounged about." Ayeka sniped. Ryoko broke her staring contest with Peorth for a second, but only a second. Before, Ryoko would have snapped something like 'I was a lot more help then you were.' Or ' at least Kagato didn't use me to try and conquer the universe.'   
  
" Hey, I helped too." She simply shrugged, and turned away. She was   
  
practically ignoring Ayeka now, and the princess was very upset about it. She looked at Peorth again, straight in the eye, then snapped her head forward towards the goddess, to make her flinch. Peorth just glared and cursed in french.  
  
" They're at it again." Tenchi could only sigh. At that moment a van started coming down the driveway.   
  
" They're almost here! I'd like them to not think we're psycho's for just a little." Ayeka snapped.   
  
" Wow, those two really go at it. " Mihoshi watched to two growl at each other." It would be kind of ironic if they fell in love..." she smirked mysteriously to herself. Mihoshi got a few glances for this odd comment, but then a white van, marked property of Nekomi Institute Motorpool pulled up, as the battle between the two intensified.   
  
" But seriously..." Ayeka grumbled. " Azaka, Kamidake." She summoned her   
  
guardians. " If those two begin fighting, I want you to shoot them until they don't move anymore."  
  
" Ayeka, why do you have to ruin all our fun." Ryoko murmured. Ayeka looked like she was about to make some retort, but Ryoko shrugged and looked towards the van. Peorth shot a glare at Ryoko, but realized she was being ignored, at the moment Keiichi Morrisato opened the door.  
  
Keiichi looked them over, made a quick introduction of himself, but then moved to help Belldandy unpack the truck. Urd and Skuld got out through the side door.   
  
" That was too long. Why did we have to come out all the way here to see stupid Peorth." The younger goddess tossed a manga onto the back seat.  
  
" Because you needed to get away from the TV. Hello Peorth, it's been a while. I see you haven't fared too badly." Urd said. Her outfit was calm for her, but it still drew stares. Tight black leather, a few random zippers, silver bracelets and necklaces. Her top was unzipped a little, exposing a red undershirt, her long silver hair twisted into a long pony tail. " I should introduce myself. I'm Urd, and this rude little one is my younger sister Skuld."  
  
" He certainly is. That's Ryoko and Ayeka." Peorth said, stepping forward. . " Ryoko is obsessed with her supposed greatness, and Ayeka's a spoiled princess." Skuld, Ayeka, and Ryoko bristled.   
  
" I'm Tenchi Masaki." He stepped forward trying to separate them out of habit. " I'm sort of the head of the house." To which Peorth chuckled a little.  
  
" And I'm Keiichi Morrisato. I'm sort of the head too." To which Urd   
  
snickered. " I think they're making fun of us."  
  
" You get used to it after a while." Tenchi replied with a grin.  
  
" Hello. I'm Belldandy, goddess first class unlimited." Tenchi felt like he was struck by lightning when he saw her. Urd and Skuld had been what he thought, but this woman... she had a sweet honesty about her that he had only seen in Sasami.  
  
" Hi there." Tenchi said, mouth dry. " You seem much nicer then our goddess first class." Belldandy looked up surprised.  
  
" Oh Peorth. I hope you haven't been causing these nice people too much   
  
trouble." She said. Peorth met her look with an amused shrug of her shoulders.  
  
" Nothing they haven't asked for." She said, charmingly evil. Ryoko muttered some comment, and Peorth's arm flashed out so quick no one saw it move, sending Ryoko rocketing across the yard. Keiichi, Urd, Skuld, and especially Belldandy gasped in shock ubut Peorth never quit looking pleasant.  
  
" So... Peorth, you seem different." Urd cocked her head, and looked at the other goddess.   
  
" Well, she certainly has a way of getting on people's nerves." Belldandy stepped up to her, shocked.  
  
" Peorth, why did you do that? You just assaulted an injured woman..."  
  
" Try telling me that tomorrow, once you get to know her. It's nice to see you again, Bell, but right now I got butt to kick."  
  
" But..."   
  
" It's not big deal. They'll fly around, maybe destroy the house. " Tenchi said to Belldandy. " I guess this doesn't happen too much where you're from."  
  
" You get used to it." Mihoshi said, and Belldandy gave her a confused look. Obviously she'd never dealt with people who could ignore random violence so easily.   
  
" See, and it's not like she was actually hurt her. In fact, in about five seconds..." an energy shot missed her head by about half an inch. " she's getting quicker. Give me one second, Belldandy." The other goddess managed on 'okay' but Peorth and Ryoko had all ready started fighting, while their guests watched on.   
  
" Huh? She can fly." Skuld watched them battle. Urd and Belldandy watched surprised too.   
  
" You seem surprised. I guess your life is a whole lot easier then mine." Tenchi chuckled. " Let me help you with your bags." He picked up a bag, as Belldandy doubletaked between them and the battle raging above. More explosions ripped the sky as Azaka and Kamidaki got into it.   
  
" Destroy them!" Ayeka shouted, shaking her fist at the two.  
  
" You can head in, Sasami's inside setting up. There should be some food set up." Tenchi said.  
  
" Is there any ice cream?" The young goddess said, suddenly alive with energy.   
  
" I think we should have some." Tenchi said.   
  
" Tenchi Masaki, it has been a pleasure to meet you." The goddess Urd, grabbed her sister, and yanked her towards the house. " Let's go, Skuld." Mihoshi started too follow the goddess', but Tenchi asked her to take Ayeka in. She seemed rather distracted with Ryoko and Peorth. Belldandy, Keiichi, and Tenchi started inside.  
  
" I have to ask." Keiichi said, while throwing a sidelong look at Belldandy. " I know why I did it, but why did you wish for a goddess." Tenchi shrugged.  
  
" Well, actually it was my dad, and it was kind of an accident." Tenchi said.  
  
" Ah, so that's why Peorth is so upset. So sad..." Belldandy said, amidst the sound of Peorth's and Ryoko's continuing battle. .  
  
"You're right. And I just thought it was Peorth being Peorth." He shook his head. " Wait... how do you accidentally wish for a goddess to be with you forever?" Keiichi said.  
  
" You try to find out what you can and can't wish for..." Tenchi remarked. He stopped, and turned serious. " Um... Mr. Morisato, can I ask you a question." He paused, and Keiichi saw him looking past her to Belldandy. " Alone." Keiichi and Belldandy shared a look, but Belldandy just smiled.   
  
" I'll go check on Urd and Skuld, make sure they're not destroying anything too valuable." She said, and hurried on.   
  
" She is just the greatest..." Keiichi said, to no one in particular. He turned back to Tenchi. " And you can just call me Keiichi, by the way."  
  
" Okay. Keiichi, you knew Peorth before, right?" Tenchi stopped, and stared Keiichi directly in the eye. His face was a mask.  
  
" Yeah. There was a weird thing, and she stayed with me for a while. Why?"  
  
" She seems nice enough, but some things have been happening lately.   
  
Everything was going okay for the first few days, but lately, some things have been happening, and they all seem to point to Peorth. Keiichi. Do you think Peorth is capable of murder?" 


	6. Chapter 42: The truth, the whole truth,...

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Not Ah! My Goddess!   
  
Characters or Tenchi Muyo! If I did, I would be a very rich (not to   
  
mention talented) man. I'm just writing this fic because I enjoy   
  
writing, and enjoy those two mangas. If you want to sue me, fine, but   
  
keep in mind I have less then $100 in my checking account at any given   
  
time, and I'm giving free advertisement with this fic. Now that the   
  
legal info is over, enjoy me newest creation.  
  
Author's note: Bit longer then I'd wanted, but I think it's still good.  
  
Tenchi Muyo! Yggdrasil  
  
Chapter 4 episode 2: The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but  
  
  
  
" Murder?" Keiichi Morisato stopped dead, staring at Tenchi. Keiichi couldn't believe it, why anyone would suspect a goddess of murder. For a moment neither said anything. Then Keiichi shrugged. " I guess if any goddess could, it would be Peorth, but I don't even think she would." He frowned. " Why? Has she been that bad here? I admit she can be a handful but she wouldn't try to seriously harm anyone." The two started towards the house again.   
  
" I want to believe you. At first, she was pretty mean to everyone, but after a couple of days she settled down. She's actually pretty nice now." Tenchi said. He sighed, " and I hate to make accusations, but recently, strange things have been happening to my dad, and she's the only one who would want him dead."   
  
" What's happened?" Keiichi could see they were almost at the house, and they still had a lot to talk about. He walked over to several ornate picnic tables on the deck, both sporting the mark of their creator, the rune Peorth. They had a good view inside the house. Everyone seemed to be getting along.  
  
" Well a few days ago he was in the bath, and a light bulb blew out of the socket, hit the hairdryer, and sent it into the tub. Dad barely got out in time. And the other day, a roller skate found it's way under his foot on the stairs." He shook his head, and gave a frustrated sigh. " And no one in the house has any roller skates."   
  
" And what's Peorth been doing?" Keiichi asked.  
  
" The weird thing is Peorth actually saved him most of the times."  
  
" She might be doing it to make everyone think she's a hero." Keiichi mused.   
  
" I hate to say it, but that does sound more like her."   
  
" I asked her about it but she said she had nothing to do with it. I don't know what I can do if that's what's happening." Tenchi said. Something clicked inside Keiichi, and gave a wry smile.  
  
" She said that?" He said, and Tenchi nodded. " Then I guess she doesn't have anything to do with it." Tenchi gave an uncomprehending look, and Keiichi held out his hand as if giving the answer on a platter. " Peorth is a goddess first class, but knowing her, Peorth forgot to mention that first class goddess' can't tell lies."   
  
" They can't?" Tenchi said, astonished, and Keiichi just shrugged. " Seriously?" Keiichi nodded. " You're right, she did forget to mention that. It must come in handy." Tenchi said, throwing a sideways glance to the sky, where Ryoko and Peorth continued to battle.  
  
" I wish." Keiichi laughed. " Skuld and Urd aren't goddess' first class, so they can like as much as they like, and Belldandy wouldn't lie to me anyway. You'll probably find it more useful then I do." Keiichi said. Then turned a bit more serious. " You can't think of anyone else who would want your father dead?" Tenchi shook his head. " Maybe it's just a devil then?"  
  
" A devil?" Tenchi said. " I want to be surprised by that. What's a devil?" Tenchi said flatly.   
  
" Devil's usually follow around goddess', being pains in the butt too people who get wishes. I'm surprised you haven't seen one yet. They would do something like this. This one named Mara has been making my life hell for a while." Keiichi stood up, throwing a cautious glance over his shoulder. " With my luck she probably followed me here." This time Tenchi chuckled.   
  
" I really feel sorry for anyone who comes here looking to make trouble." He said with a grin. " We should probably get inside. I hate to keep guests waiting." There was a loud thud, and a new crater appeared, with Peorth at the center. Keiichi flinched back, but Tenchi casually walked over and extended a hand down to help her up. It was only then that Keiichi noticed several similar craters around the house. " We're going in? Coming Peorth?" For a moment she didn't move, just mumbled in shock.  
  
" She beat me. Again. How could she beat me. She only had one arm. One arm." She shook her head, as if to dispel a bad dream. " Again." She sighed and took his hand, as he led her back to the house. Keiichi watched in stunned disbelief. He had seen firsthand what Goddess could do. He'd never thought anything could ever actually beat Peorth. She was more powerful then Belldandy, maybe even Urd. Ryoko touched down near him, rubbing her jaw with her good arm. She was nursing a new bruise, but still smiling.  
  
" Are all goddess' like that?" She said, smiling like a predator, as she surveyed the others through the window.  
  
" Why do you want to know?" He said nervously, throwing a worried look   
  
through the window at Belldandy. Why did Ryoko want to know...  
  
" Fine." She shrugged, starting to walk indoors. " Don't tell me."  
  
" Did you really beat her with just one hand?" he said. Ryoko stopped, and looked at him over her shoulder.   
  
" Oh that..." she took her arm out of the sling, and flexed her hand. " I heal quick. It just annoys the hell out of Peorth to think I could be her one handed." She started walking again, and put her arm back in the sling. " Though to be honest I did sneak in a quick jab with it when she wasn't looking."  
  
" Hold on, what happened to those two logs that princess sent after you?"  
  
__________  
  
" And you said it was boring around here." Kamidake said, upside down.   
  
" It was." Azaka said, halfway through the wall. " I wish it were."  
  
" Can I help you two with something?" Yosho said, looking serenely out his two new skylights, sipping sake.  
  
__________  
  
  
  
The party was already underway when Keiichi entered into a comfortable living room. That princess, though he still wasn't certain what she was a princess of, Ayeka, was sitting off to one side alone, sullen. Ryoko was by the punch bowl and little snacks on the kitchen table, pouring herself a glass and making small talk with Urd, who was eyeing her warily, and the blonde woman. Belldandy was by Peorth's side already, trying to heal her, but Peorth shoo'd her away somewhat forcefully.   
  
" I'm fine, Bell." She said, then collapsed on the couch in exhaustion, but Belldandy didn't seem to believe her.  
  
" Oh but you're hurt." Belldandy exclaimed. " Let me take a look at it."  
  
" She'll be fine. This has happened before plenty of times." Keiichi saw Peorth grimace, and Tenchi realized he had said the wrong thing. " Well not plenty of times. Actually only a few of times. Once or twice only. Um, erm, can I get you something, Peorth, Ms. Belldandy?"   
  
" Is that punch of Sasami's ready?" Peorth groaned and fell backwards, sprawling on the couch, and Tenchi nodded. " Give me that, please."  
  
" I'll have some too, I guess. Oh, and please, you can just call me Belldandy, Mr. Masaki." Tenchi smiled warmly, " Just call me Tenchi." He said, and went off. Keiichi walked over to her, where Belldandy was beginning to heal Peorth's many minor injuries.   
  
" I was worried that the people you were staying with might not understand, or try to take advantage of you, but they seem nice." She said, eyeing Ryoko suspiciously.   
  
" Although I don't seem to understand why some are so aggressive." It was the closest she could come to being mean.  
  
" Ryoko's a little... unique." Peorth said. " I don't know what goes on in her head. I don't hold any grudges."   
  
" Unique?" Keiichi said. " I don't think I'd use those words. Mara is unique. She seems more like... like..." He watched as Tenchi got to the ornate kitchen table where the punch bowl was. Tenchi made a shy gesture, and introduced himself to the goddess. Urd seemed to make a quick joke to make Tenchi feel at ease, because they were all laughing about something. But Urd could be one tough fighter though... " Urd. She almost seems like Urd." Keiichi frowned, he tried to make out some of sign of the duality seen in urd. " Belldandy, you don't think she could be part devil, like Urd?"   
  
" I don't think so." She said, shaking her head. It caused her hair to flutter like wheat in the wind. " A human/devil hybrid's are usually more devil then human."  
  
" And Goddess/devil hybrids are always closely monitored by Yggdrasil."   
  
Peorth said, sinking deeper into the lush couch. " Even if they choose to not become agents for Yggdrasil. Especially if."  
  
" As if one wasn't bad enough." Skuld said, appearing like a shadow near   
  
Belldandy.   
  
" Skuld, you shouldn't just hang around me." Belldandy chided. " how often do   
  
you get out of the house?"  
  
" But there's no one really here about my age." Skuld said defensively, Keiichi could tell she just didn't want to get away from Belldandy.  
  
" Actually, Princess Sasami should be about your age." Peorth said, looking around. " Where is Sasami, anyway. I think you'd like her." She said, the shrugged. " Everyone likes Sasami." She cupped a hand over her mouth. " Tenchi, where's Sasami?" she shouted as Tenchi arrived with their punch.   
  
" Sasami? Well I don't know exactly. Ayeka, do you know where Sasami is?" Tenchi said. Startled out of throwing haughty, yet annoyed occasional   
  
glances at Ryoko.   
  
" Oh Sasami... Sasami is..." She looked around. " I don't know. She was here when we left, but I haven't seen her since I got back."   
  
" She's up in your room." Ryoko said, drifting towards them. " With Ryo-ohki. If you want, I'll go get her." Tenchi acquiesced, and she disappeared, teleporting away.  
  
" Sasami isn't normally this shy." Tenchi apologized for her. " I wanted you to meet everyone, but there's a lot of people not here."   
  
" I'm sure they all have their reasons for not being here." Belldandy said kindly, obviously not wanting to bother them.   
  
" Let's see, Noboyuki is cowering in his room," Peorth said sarcastically, and counting 'one' on her fingers. " Your grandpa seems to not care at all that there are goddess' in his house, even though he's a priest," 'two'. " and I've still not seen any evidence that Washu even exists, so I have no idea why she's not here." She counted three, then suddenly sat up.   
  
" Belldandy can I borrow Skuld for a few minutes?" She grabbed the young girl without waiting for an answer, and pulled her out into the hallway.  
  
" She certainly has gotten strange since she has been here." Urd remarked, drifting over from the punch bowl. " Though I can't say she every really struck me as normal. Tenchi, I was just talking to Mihoshi, and she thought it might be a good idea if I magic'd up a karaoke machine. Of course I wouldn't do it without asking the host if it was all right."   
  
" Urd, we've come a long way to do something we could do almost any time   
  
back home." Keiichi said.  
  
" Actually," Tenchi said, " we've already got one upstairs. We use it all the time. I can't say I like it to much but..." He said, rubbing the back of his head in a shy gesture Keiichi was quite familiar with, having done it dozens of times. He was cut off though by Ryoko suddenly appearing in front of him. Tenchi reflexively reached out to grab her, but she was also carrying an older man, who Keiichi assumed was Noboyuki, and they fell to the floor.   
  
" Not that we care much though." She said from the floor. " Ouch." She rubbed her back a few times. " Sasami's coming down. She said all these... people make her nervous." She said, but she shared a secret look with Tenchi. " And I thought Noboyuki could use some time out of his room." Noboyuki wore a forced smile, but looked around like a caged animal at every small noise.   
  
" Um, Hello." Tenchi definitely took after his father, Keiichi thought. " Are you friends of Peorth's..." He said. Belldandy smiled and nodded. A sound escaped his lips that reminded Keiichi of the time Skuld discovered a mouse in her dresser. " You... you... aren't angry for making that wish, are you?"   
  
" Of course not." Belldandy frowned, surprised by his question. "A goddess' job is to bring happiness and joy however she can. Peorth was just fulfilling her duty." Belldandy stood up, but Noboyuki actually seemed calmed by her compassionate tone.  
  
" Although it seems someone been arranging a few accidents for him. I guess I'd be nervous too, if I thought a goddess was out to get me." Keiichi said, remembering a few of Belldandy's jealousy storms with a shudder. " But I can assure you Mr. Masaki, a goddess would never try to take a life for any reason."   
  
" You can ask her too. Apparently goddess first class can't lie." Tenchi said.   
  
" She can't?" Ryoko asked, with a hint of malice in her voice. " She can't." she repeated, with a purr. " Ohhhhh Peorth."   
  
" Can't see any good coming from this." Urd said, sipping her punch. She didn't move to help Peorth though.  
  
" Why not? That doesn't make any..." Noboyuki stared long and hard at the   
  
goddess. Then he let out a sigh of frustration. " Oh what the hey. I'll trust you Tenchi. I hate to say it, but you've got more expierience with this sort of stuff then I do. Sense let this house a long time ago. I guess they really were just accidents." He softened a bit, and Keiichi could see Tenchi biting his tongue, holding in the devil issue. " I'm going to go get some of Sasami's punch before it's all gone." He walked off towards the punch   
  
bowl, but not without throwing a cautious glance around the room. Belldandy gave him a look of infinite kindess.  
  
" That poor maahhhh!" Everyone's head snapped around as a cracking sound off to the side caught their attention. A portion of the floor was splintering into pieces, with Noboyuki teetering on the edge of a newly formed precipice. Keiichi gasped, and Urd and Belldandy immediately started to their feet to help him, but Peorth was already in motion. She dove through the air, past Ryoko, tackling him and knocking out of harm. They all rushed over and peered down the pit. It was surprisingly deep, about eight feet, and the wood from the floor had splintered into sharp fragments and landed in such a way they made crude pungii death spikes.  
  
" Yikes." Keiichi said. Lying on the floor near them, Noboyuki stared directly into Peorth's eyes as she lay on top of him.  
  
" And you really had nothing to do with that?" he asked with a grimace.   
  
" Yes. I had nothing at all to do with that, except saving you." She said. Noboyuki eyed the pit, then Peorth, then the pit again.   
  
" Oh no!" A new voice cried out. A young girl, Sasami Keiichi guessed, came running down the stairs, wearing a bizarre, furry hat. She kneeled next to Noboyuki, as Peorth stood up. " Did something happen to you? Did she..." Peorth made an annoyed sound. Belldandy passed by her, wanting to make sure Noboyuki was all right too. Sasami's 'hat' leaped down onto Noboyuki, and Belldandy gasped as the 'hat' made a mewing sound and rubbed against Noboyuki's chin.  
  
" Don't worry, I'm all right Ryo-ohki." He gently petted the cabbit. He started to get up, but Belldandy was still by him. " I'm really all right, Ms. Belldandy. Thanks for your concern." But she didn't leave. " Can I help you?"   
  
" It's so cute. May I, please?" She said. She placed her hands gently under the cabbit, but didn't pick it up without permission. The cabbit looked at her curiously, then at Sasami. To Keiichi it looked like it understood what was going on. Keiichi knelt down next to her.  
  
" I probably should have mentioned something. Belldandy has a weakness for anything cute." He held out his hand. " I'm Keiichi Morrisato. You must be Sasami." He tried to disarm her with a smile. " You shouldn't be afraid of Belldandy. She may be a goddess but she's also the sweetest person I know."   
  
" It's not that." Sasami said nervously, " It's just that, I'm not comfortable with it. For religious reasons, I guess." She said, but she seemed distracted. " You can pick up Ryo-ohki, but be careful." She said to Belldandy. " You need to pick him up underneath his hind legs, or else he's uncomfortable." Belldandy smiled and picked up the cabbit. Across the room Peorth sat back down on the couch, face showing the flat unemotionality of depression.  
  
" Why doesn't anyone believe me." She said.   
  
" Oh but we do." Ryoko said with a vicious grin. She sat down next to her leaned on Peorth. " We do. After all, you've done to save Noboyuki, how could you want him dead." She said, and Peorth eyed her cautiously, suspicious of her sudden kindess. " Oh, and you can't lie, can you?" It was like a million volts went through her. She stiffened, glaring at Ryoko. " We should have some fun with that. But later. As long as Noboyuki's all right, we have a party to get down too." Peorth let out a quiet groan, and covered her face. Belldandy, who had come over to help Noboyuki, stood up and put a hand on her shoulder.   
  
" It's not too bad. At least now everyone knows you haven't been trying to murder anyone. Life is often filled with such tradeoffs. And I'm sure you won't " She smiled. Peorth gently removed her hand. "   
  
" Always the optimist, Belldandy. You really must grow up sometimes." She smiled ruefully, and it reminded Keiichi of when she had left last time. She had wanted to be annoyed with Belldandy so badly, but she couldn't be. Belldandy was just too nice. " But until then, you really should get to know someone." She took Belldandy's arm and brought her back to where Keiichi, Sasami, and Noboyuki still were. " Belldandy, this is Sasami Misaki Jurai, princess of the Star Kingdom of Jurai. You two should get along wonderfully."   
  
_______________  
  
The two locked eyes, and deep inside both of them something clicked. For   
  
Belldandy, it was something strange, like Déjà vu. She knew they had met somewhere before, but she didn't know where.   
  
For Sasami, a part of her mind accessed something distant, and she instantly recognized Belldandy. She knew her history, everything from her conception, the Celestine incident, right up until her appointment as a goddess first class, and a member of the goddess technical help line. Because of course, Tsunami had been keeping a very close watch on her. 


	7. Chapter 4e: Sasami and Tsunami 2, or wh...

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Not Ah! My Goddess!   
  
Characters or Tenchi Muyo! If I did, I would be a very rich (not to   
  
mention talented) man. I'm just writing this fic because I enjoy   
  
writing, and enjoy those two mangas. If you want to sue me, fine, but   
  
keep in mind I have less then $100 in my checking account at any given   
  
time, and I'm giving free advertisement with this fic. Now that the   
  
legal info is over, enjoy me newest creation.  
  
Author's note: Writers block. That's the reason this took so long. I have   
  
near terminal case. I'm pretty right now, so it'll proably be another little   
  
while before the next parts.  
  
Tenchi Muyo! Yggdrasil   
  
Chapter 4, episode 3: Sasami and Tsunami II, or why Sasami seems strange.  
  
Earlier_______________  
  
" Oh what do you WANT Peorth?" Skuld whined, as she stumbled along in   
  
the elder goddess' wake. Peorth gave a sharp tug and drew the young goddess   
  
into the hall. Skuld tugged back, trying to get back to Belldandy.   
  
" I want you to see something." She replied, pulling the younger woman   
  
into a small hallway, past a flight of stairs. Imbedded in the stairs was a   
  
simple wooden door, with a window in the center. " This."   
  
" You mean behind the door?" Skuld said sharply, arms impatiently across   
  
her chest.  
  
" No. It is the door. I've tried every spell I know, every algorithm I   
  
could think of, I've even tried using brute strength to pull it open. It won't   
  
budge. I haven't even scratched it." Peorth said. She stared at the door as   
  
if she could open it through sheer force of will, the bitter taste of " I was   
  
hoping that technology might be able to do something. And you know more about   
  
that then anyone else. I was hoping that you..."   
  
" Peorth." Skuld said flatly. " I don't care. So there's a stupid   
  
door YOU can't open." She said accusingly. She turned around and started   
  
walking away. " I didn't come here to work, and I'm especially not going to   
  
when I have a day off."   
  
" Day off from what exactly?" Peorth muttered. Skuld stomped her foot   
  
and huffed, preparing to make a scathing retort. "All right then." Peorth   
  
said, she crossed her arms and looked away. " I suppose then that you don't   
  
want to meet the goddess Washu then." Skuld stopped talking, and looked   
  
suspiciously at Peorth.  
  
" Washu? The Washu? The Sister Washu?" She said, and Peorth nodded.   
  
" Why would Washu be here?"  
  
" I don't know, Skuld. That's something I want to ask her. After I ask   
  
her if there's a way to get out of a wish. If anyone would know the in's and   
  
out's of Yggdrasil, it would be her." She said, sounding honest.  
  
" And why are you so sure it's her? Maybe we should ask Belldandy. She worked   
  
at Jurai for a little bit, maybe Tsunami mentioned something."  
  
" I highly doubt Tsunami would have spoken about such things to a first   
  
year intern, like Bell was then." She shrugged. " But don't let that stop   
  
you. As for who she is? From what I've heard, she looks like washu, short,   
  
with long red hair and green eyes. This appeared 20,000 year ago, almost   
  
exactly when the goddess Washu disappeared." She said. She rubbed her hand   
  
across the door.   
  
" And she can make technology that can defeat even the magic of a goddess first   
  
class. That should be enough. What do you say?" Skuld finally around to look   
  
her in the face. She looked at Peorth seriously, through slitted eyes.   
  
" Maybe I'm interested." Skuld bluffed. The chance to meet any of the   
  
Sisters was something no goddess could pass up. ' Andy maybe I could get Bell   
  
out of her wish too...' But Peorth had something she wanted. " And as soon as   
  
you return my comics, I might help you." Skuld said. Peorth looked at her for   
  
a second wondering what she meant...  
  
" Comics? You can't mean... the ones I took..." She said incredulously.   
  
" Merde. You are, aren't you."  
  
" The ones you took when you left Earth after granting Keiichi's wish.   
  
You took them all. If you want to get back to Yggdrasil, then give me back my   
  
comics!" Her voice held such a straightness, she could only be serious.  
  
" You'd give up a chance to meet a Sister goddess just because of comics." She   
  
said incredulously. Skuld simply nodded. " I can't exactly run back to   
  
Yggdrasil to get them. That's the problem." Skuld gave a look simply saying   
  
'tough'. " Would you take some other comics?" She walked off, and returned a   
  
moment later carrying a huge stack of comics. Skuld picked up a few.   
  
" Acceptable?" Skuld nodded, flipped through a few pages.   
  
" Where did you get all these?" She flipped through another one, it   
  
looked like a romance, but kind of old, and a little yellow.  
  
" Tenchi's father has a whole room full of them around the corner. I   
  
believe Messiure Masaki is a little..." She waved her hand.  
  
" Ah. All right then. I'll get you in to see Washu in no more then an   
  
hour." She said. She sat down crosslegged and started leafing through one   
  
books.  
  
" Agreed. I think I hear Noboyuki. I'd better make sure he's all right   
  
for now."  
  
Now_______________  
  
" Belldandy? Belldandy?" Keiichi Morrisato asked his lover. Belldandy   
  
eyes were unfocused, as if she were staring through Sasami.  
  
" Belldandy? Are you all right?" Urd said. She waved her hand in front   
  
of her frozen sisters face. Belldandy blinked a few times, then smiled, cheeks   
  
reddening a little in embarrassment.  
  
" I'm sorry. I was just thinking. You reminded me of someone else.   
  
Hello Sasami, it's a pleasure to meet you." She kneeled and took Sasami's hand,   
  
almost as if to propose. " I hope we will be good friends."   
  
" I've never met a member of the Jurain royal family before." Urd said,   
  
making a sweeping bow. " It's an honor, princess."   
  
" But you met Ayeka?" An Mihoshi blithely said. " And she's the crown   
  
princess even. How come you didn't say anything then? You didn't say anything   
  
to her. Why are you being mean to Ayeka?" She said. Tears were beginng to   
  
form. Belldandy flushed, and Urd looked a little surprised, as Mihoshi rubbed   
  
her eyes and began to cry. Even Ayeka, for her part, looked a little surprised.   
  
But blocked her out a few moments later, and went back to staring at Ryoko.  
  
" I guess it's less of an honor to meet an annoying prissy princess then   
  
kind individual." Ryoko said from across the room, combing pieces of chip out   
  
of her hair with her hand. The goddess looked at Peorth. " Right Ayeka?" She   
  
looked over her shoulder at the princess.  
  
" Of course it is!" She snapped, standing up and pointing an accusing   
  
finger at Ryoko. As she realized that she was making a scene, and probably what   
  
she had just said, she sat back down, embarrassed.  
  
" I'm so sorry, princess." Belldandy bowed quickly, horribly   
  
embarrassed. Urd too seemed startled, and a little embarrassed, Keiichi   
  
noticed. Ayeka tried to find words.  
  
" It's all right." She stammered. " Now that you know..."  
  
" But they're goddess! Sworn to the patron goddess of Jurai and your   
  
family!" Mihoshi cried. " How could they not have recognized the scion of the   
  
royal family?" Keiichi saw Tenchi blink a few times, and if trying to focus on   
  
Mihoshi, like he was trying to get a good look at her.  
  
" Mihoshi, it's not really a big deal." Tenchi said. " I'm sure she   
  
didn't mean any harm."  
  
" Oh but she's right." Belldandy said. " Please forgive me, princess." "   
  
All right." Ayeka said, confused. " You're forgiven."  
  
" We wouldn't need to if..." Urd said, rolling her eyes towards Peorth.  
  
" Did I forget to mention she was the crown princess?" She said, mocking   
  
apology. " I guess it slipped my mind. Don't worry about it. After a little   
  
bit, you won't even see a princess, you'll just see the backstabbing, stuck up   
  
person beneath it all." Belldandy and Urd looked astonished at Peorth.   
  
" What?" She shrugged. " Belldandy, beloved scion of Tsunami or not, she's a   
  
selfish brat." She said harshly.  
  
" Peorth. I would have thought a goddess matter like this is beyond such   
  
petty concerns as this." Urd said. Keiichi felt it was finally time to step   
  
in.   
  
" Urd, now isn't really the time to get into a fight." He stepped in   
  
between the two goddess. " Even if these people are used to it, which it   
  
sounds like they are, they invited us here to have a good time. And we both   
  
know Peorth is a bit spiteful. You remember how long she held that grudge   
  
against Belldandy because of that bug thing...  
  
" I was just misinformed for a while."  
  
" So we can we just put this aside." He said  
  
" But..." Mihoshi tried to say. Tenchi interrupted her.   
  
" I don't think there's any reason to keep bringing this up, Mihoshi.   
  
Ayeka accepted it. And Belldandy is very sorry about it." Mihoshi seemed   
  
concerned, but didn't say anything more.   
  
" I'm truly sorry, however." Belldandy said. " Just remember if you   
  
need anything, I'm obligated to help you." She blushed. Ayeka's princess   
  
reflexed seemed triggered, as she bowed slightly to her.  
  
" I... am flattered, maam." She said politely. Belldandy smiled, and   
  
curstsied slightly. She motioned to move back to Keiichi but Ayeka put a hand   
  
on her shoulder. " Wait. It... just occurred to me. There's something I need   
  
done and..."  
  
" No she can't." Peorth sat up on the couch. Ayeka turned to look at   
  
her.  
  
" How would you know what I wanted?" she said. Peorth eyed her   
  
humorlessly.  
  
" Because I've lived in this house for more then a day." She sighed, and   
  
rubbed the bridge of her nose in a most annoyed way. " Whatever she may have   
  
said, Belldandy is simply too nice to get involved in your little feud."   
  
Belldandy made a little motion, like she wanted to interrupt, but Peorth ignored   
  
her. " Besides, if I can't take Ryoko, Belldandy certainly can't. Just   
  
because we're both goddess' first class doesn't mean we're equals." She sighed,   
  
and fell back onto the couch.  
  
" Ayeka Ayeka Ayeka." Ryoko cuckolded.   
  
" All right. I'll help you." Keiichi stepped up, in between the two   
  
first class goddess', while Ryoko shrugged.   
  
" All right then." One by one she popped her knuckles. " Tenchi you   
  
heard. I didn't want to fight but..."  
  
" Belldandy," Urd said, taking her sister aside. " Are you really sure   
  
this is a good idea?" She said.   
  
" I'll be fine."  
  
" Er.. Belldandy..." Keiichi said pitifully.  
  
" Don't worry Keiichi. Trust me."   
  
" Ryoko, you're not scared, are you?" Mihoshi asked. " All three of   
  
them, teaming up with Azaka and Kamidake, could probably take even you." Ayeka   
  
twitched a little, probably giving it while Peorth suddenly jerked up off the   
  
couch.  
  
" Let do it!" Peorth was on her feet in an instant, staring into Ayeka's   
  
eyes." Why didn't I think of it before? It might be a little unsporting, but   
  
it's the price she must pay for assaylting a goddess!" She grabbed Belldandy   
  
and pulled her towards them. " Come on, Bell, it's the wishes of the princess   
  
of Jurai! We must! And maybe Urd too!" Ryoko was starting to look a little   
  
nervous, .  
  
" I'm not being any part of it, and neither is Belldandy." Urd shook her   
  
head.  
  
" All right!" She smiled. Urd look at her astonished. " Now what   
  
exactly are we doing?"   
  
" Oh." Keiichi said.   
  
" I think you're supposed to be kicking Ryoko's butt." Mihoshi said.  
  
" Now Mihoshi..." Tenchi put a hand on her shoulder, and squeezed   
  
firmly. " Let's not encourage trouble." Belldandy gasped, and covered her   
  
mouth.  
  
" But why would you want me to attack your friend?"  
  
" Well there goes that idea." Peorth said, collapsing back on the couch.   
  
Keiichi breathed a sigh of relief, and noticed Tenchi doing the same. One   
  
crisis averted for today. Keiichi made a note to watch the blonde girl, though.   
  
She seemed ditzy, but still trouble. He turned to look at Tenchi, and saw they   
  
were thinking the same thing. 'Get Ryoko and Peorth away from each other.'  
  
" Didn't you say you had a karaoke machine? I love karaoke!" Keiichi   
  
lied. " Maybe we could set it up outside." Tenchi understood, more space to   
  
separate everyone.  
  
" Of course. I love karaoke too!" Tenchi also lied. " We keep the   
  
machine upstairs. Ayeka, why don't you come..." he looked around, and Keiichi   
  
noticed that the little girl was gone. Skuld hadn't come back either. " With   
  
me. Hey did anyone see Sasami leave?"  
  
" Kitchen." Ryoko said. Keiichi gave her a questioning look. She   
  
merely shrugged. " Ryo-oh-ki."   
  
_______________  
  
" Miya miya." The female (FEMALE!) cabbit protested. She was sitting on   
  
top of Sasami's head, bending over to look her in the eyes.  
  
" I'm not running away, it's just that I have to make dinner." She said.   
  
The cabbit gave a disbelieving silence. " I made a few things earlier, but   
  
they seem so nice, I thought maybe I could make a few more things. And everyone   
  
seems to like that punch I made so I should make some more." More disbelieving   
  
silence. " I'm just not sure what to do first. That's why I'm not doing   
  
anything." The cabbit shook it's head, twitching her whiskers and tickling   
  
Sasami's nose.   
  
Sasami was sitting at the kitchen table, a glass of punch at her   
  
fingertips. She sighed lazily, slumping in her chair. She threw a longing sigh   
  
towards the door. Certainly she wanted to be out there with everyone, but there   
  
was a part of her...  
  
The cabbit slipped off her head, falling with a 'thup' into Sasami's   
  
shoulder. She mewed again. Sasami knew what she wanted. They were alike, a   
  
little. They both wanted to be with others. To be alone was almost   
  
unthinkable.   
  
" Ryo-oh-ki, I can't." She plucked the cabbit off her shoulder.   
  
" I don't want to leave everyone." The cabbit stiffened a little, and kept   
  
quiet. " I know that's what will happen if they find out about Tsunami and me.   
  
I always thought it was strange, that Tsunami never told anyone. She should   
  
have told my mothers, or Ayeka, or even Tenchi when she gave him lighthawk   
  
wings. But those goddess' don't even know about me." Her voice was near   
  
breaking with stress. She pressed her palm against her forehead. " And I   
  
know, something awful will happen if they find out." Ryo-oh-ki looked at her   
  
curiously. " I feel it in the back of my head. Tsunami doesn't want them to   
  
know. I never told anyone, but she's always kept a link with me. Her prescense   
  
is there, always reminding me of what I am, even if she's not tryin.." She   
  
tried to shake it away, but settled for less. " Something bad will happen if   
  
they find out." She hugged herself. 


	8. Chapter 4F: All right, who spiked the p...

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Not Ah! My Goddess!   
  
Characters or Tenchi Muyo! If I did, I would be a very rich (not to   
  
mention talented) man. I'm just writing this fic because I enjoy   
  
writing, and enjoy those two mangas. If you want to sue me, fine, but   
  
keep in mind I have less then $100 in my checking account at any given   
  
time, and I'm giving free advertisement with this fic. Now that the   
  
legal info is over, enjoy me newest creation.  
  
Author's note: I'll try to finish up this story arc before taking a break, but right now I'm working a little too hard to update as much as I like. It'll probably be September before I update again.  
  
Tenchi Muyo! Yggdrasil  
  
Chapter 4, episode 4: All right, who spiked the punch?!?!  
  
" Skuld. What are you doing out here?" Belldandy stared curiously at   
  
her younger sister. Skuld was sitting, cross legged in front of a door beneath   
  
the stairs. The small hallway was cluttered with bits of technology. A broken   
  
drill, what looked like a half melted laser, smoke rising from it's innards.  
  
" Trying to crack some sort of force field." She muttered, holding a   
  
screwdriver in her teeth. " This is really starting to tick me off." She   
  
slammed the top onto a sphere shaped object, metal coils inside. She didn't   
  
even look her sister in the eye. " I've tried a dozen different things, and   
  
NOTHING! Well lets see how well it functions when I suck up all the nearby   
  
energy. Skuld ambient energy absorption device activate." She flicked a switch   
  
on the casing shell. The door, or rather an area about a half-inch in front of   
  
it, shimmered a second. It began bending outward. It circled around the   
  
sphere, and went down like water in a drain. " All right! It's gone now."   
  
She leaped up, grabbing the door knob. It didn't budge. " Ah no, not another   
  
protection device." She plopped back down, and intently started typing away.   
  
" How many are there? Maybe it's a anti-kinesis field that prevents hi   
  
movements." After a few moments of silence, Belldandy made a slight cough.   
  
" Oh." Skuld jumped a bit, forgetting Belldandy was there. " I'll be out   
  
as soon as I finish decrypting this new device." She looked up. Belldandy   
  
sighed, bent over and kissed her lightly. " If Peorth is right, I think you'll   
  
like what's inside."  
  
" All right. But if you're not done in half an hour, I want you to come   
  
out. There's a nice girl named Sasami I think you'd really like. I'll be in   
  
the kitchen when your ready." Belldandy went into the kitchen leaving Skuld   
  
alone.   
  
" Now Washu, let's see if you really are the Goddess of Science."  
  
_______________  
  
" Did you know... I am a pioneer. I'm on a secret mission..." Tenchi   
  
sat at a nearby picnic table, toying with a cup of sake that was as full as it   
  
was to start. He was getting all he needed from Ryoko, who had her arm around   
  
him forcing her glass into his mouth, as Ayeka sang a strangely familiar song on   
  
the karaoke machine.  
  
Music seemed to soothe the goddess and space pirate, because they had been   
  
quiet for a while.  
  
" You should hear Belldandy." Keiichi said. He sat across the table,   
  
watching. " Everyone at my college loves to hear her sing. The motor club   
  
sometimes throws parties just to hear her. Thanks Mihoshi." He took the glass   
  
of punch she offered. " What's your college like? Everyone probably loves   
  
your friends."  
  
" Oh... I don't really go to college. Thank you Mihoshi." He took a   
  
glass of punch.  
  
" You seem a little young for high school." Urd said. Mihoshi gave her   
  
a glass of punch.   
  
" Well, Tenchi actually decided to quit school to help take care of   
  
everyone here." Noboyuki said, raising his punch, giving Urd a salute and a   
  
wink. " Personally, I think he's missing out. I remember my college days   
  
well. Parties every Friday night, and whenever we had a game. Or anything   
  
really. It's a pity I met your mother in highschool. "   
  
" It's a miracle more like." Peorth quietly said under her breath.   
  
Tenchi gave her a sour look. " It's a little friendly jest, Tenchi." She   
  
said, not even trying to convincing. " I save his life, I can do it when I   
  
feel like it."  
  
" No no, it's all right Tenchi. She saves my life, I believe her when   
  
she says she's not involved. She can't lie." He said, calmly, though he did   
  
have a mischivious gleam in his eye, the kind Tenchi was more used to seeing on   
  
Ryoko. " Peorth, do you know what happend to that entire carrot cake Sasami   
  
baked last week?"  
  
" Yes." She said flatly.  
  
" I was wondering." He said.  
  
" Tenchi..." Ayeka said, stepping down from the Karaoke machine. Tenchi   
  
felt Ryoko shift slightly. " Is merely waiting to continue his education on   
  
Jurai." Then added. " As soon as he dumps that whore Ryoko." Ryoko, with one   
  
arm around him, gently stroked his chin. He was already feeling lightheaded   
  
from the Sake she had dug out of somewhere, and force fed him.  
  
" Tenchi just realizes that what he needs to learn to be a space pirate   
  
won't be picked up in school." She gently squeezed Tenchi, pressing him into   
  
her chest. Ayeka made a snide comment, shocked that Ryoko would consider going   
  
back to piracy, and Ryoko ignored her again, instead choosing to cuddle up too   
  
Tenchi. Tenchi wondered if Keiichi ever had to put up with this kind of... He   
  
suddenly felt Ryoko's head get heavy on his shoulder.  
  
" Ryoko..." He said. She groaned quietly.  
  
" Oh, it's nothing. I just shouldn't haven't, ugh, mixed that sake into   
  
my punch."   
  
" You drink too much Ryoko." Ayeka hissed. " You've already drunk half   
  
the bottle." Ryoko locked eyes with her.  
  
" You're one to talk. You've put down the other half." She sniped.  
  
" Maybe you should go and lie down." Tenchi gently moved her glass away,   
  
but wondered if that was really the problem. He'd seen her drunk plenty of   
  
times before, and she seemed more exhausted then drunk.  
  
" Nah. I'll be fine." She stood up, took a few tentative, then   
  
violently snatched the microphone out of Ayeka's hand. " Now, princess, let me   
  
show you how to sing." Ayeka trembled lightly with anger.   
  
" Aren't you glad you don't have to put up with this kind of stuff,   
  
Keiichi." Urd said. She smiled over at Keiichi.   
  
" All you have to deal with is one psycho sister trying to get you   
  
together and another one trying to split you up." Peorth said. She lightly   
  
raised her arm and put her elbow on Urd's shoulder.   
  
" You're right. I do have it pretty good." Keiichi shrugged.   
  
" Especially since they're both incompetent."   
  
" Be nice, Keiichi." Peorth put a supporting arm around here. " Urd   
  
doesn't try to be a pain." Urd merely blushed. A confused Tenchi watched the   
  
two for a few minutes.  
  
" Peorth, I know I asked before, but how exactly do you know Urd and   
  
Belldandy?" Tenchi asked.  
  
" Oh, merely friendly rivals, Tenchi. Why do you ask?"  
  
" Probably because..." Mihoshi interrupted before Tenchi could speak,   
  
and Tenchi's stomach clenched. Mihoshi had not been making meaningful   
  
conversation lately. " It's kind of weird, but you seem more friendly then   
  
rival."  
  
_______________  
  
" Would you like some help?" Sasami nearly jumped as a soft voice spoke   
  
behind her. It was that goddess of course. Sasami turned around, doing her   
  
best to feign calmness.  
  
" I'm all right for now." She said, hoping against hope that she would   
  
leave. She decided to head off the obvious problem first. " I like it, I   
  
really do. I enjoy cooking."   
  
" I know how you feel. When I cook, I feel like I'm putting a piece of   
  
myself into it, so I always try my best." She said. Sasami grimaced inside,   
  
although she had to admit that was exactly how she felt too when she cooked for   
  
everyone. " Sasami, if it's all right, I'd like to stay here. Get to know   
  
you a little bit, and help out however I can." Sasami froze from her cooking.   
  
This was the last thing she wanted. The longer they stayed together, the more   
  
Sasami was convinced she would see something. Maybe she would sense her   
  
connection, maybe she would be able to see the marks on her forehead that were   
  
the marks of Tsunami. But of course she was worried too that something would   
  
make her suspicious. Sasami could only think to try and bore her away. She   
  
didn't say anything at all, and only making brief answers when Belldandy asked   
  
her a question.   
  
Soon they settled into a silent pattern, with Belldandy occasionally   
  
making a comment, and Sasami rebuffing her. It was hard on the very social   
  
Sasami, as it had been ever since the other goddess got here. She'd worried   
  
about Peorth, but soon decided the other goddess first class was too self   
  
absorbed to realize anything. There was also no recognition, at the part of her   
  
mind where she could feel Sasami. She knew her somehow, and the goddess might   
  
know her.  
  
It went that way for about half an hour. Sasami listened to a cool breeze   
  
flowing in through an open window, carrying the voices of the kareoake singers.   
  
Mihoshi came in and gave them some punch. It had an sweet but odd taste, not   
  
what she'd made. It could only mean someone had spiked the punch bowl with   
  
something. She sighed and mentally chastised Ryoko, putting the glass down.   
  
" I met Tsunami." Belldandy said, abruptly trying to start a new   
  
conversation. Sasami nearly cut her finger off as she was chopping carrots.  
  
" When I first started out as a goddess, I worked on Jurai's Yggdrasil system.   
  
I was so young, I didn't know what I was doing back then. I never thought I'd   
  
meet her. She's somewhat private these days, she only really meets with upper   
  
level management." She peeled a potato, and set it aside.   
  
" I had just come back from granting my first wish, and then I met Tsunami."   
  
" Why are you telling me all this?" Sasami said. She'd stopped cooking   
  
minutes ago, listening to Belldandy. She knew Tsunami so little, even thought   
  
Tsunami had literally made her.  
  
" You remind me of someone, the first man I ever granted a wish too."   
  
Belldandy said. Her mouth's edge crooked up in an abscent minded smile. "   
  
It's just that sometimes people forget their god's, or stop believing in them.   
  
I didn't know how you felt, even thought Tsunami is Jurai's patron goddess. I   
  
guess I just wanted you to know that Tsunami's love is real, and unconditional."   
  
She turned, and gently put a hand on Sasami's shoulder. " You see, I granted a   
  
wish to a man, who had lost faith in Tsunami. He was convinced that there never   
  
were any goddess'. He had lost his family in an accident a little while before.   
  
He was so happy to get a wish, but it broke my heart not to be able to bring his   
  
family back. He wished instead to speak to Tsunami, I wish I could easily   
  
grant. He wanted to know that Tsunami was real and did care. Sasami, the way   
  
you look at me, it's not the same as how you look at your friend Tenchi. It's   
  
the same look as that man gave me. You seem to have lost faith. Tsunami always   
  
loves you."  
  
" You think so?" She never looked at Belldandy, just tugged at the edges   
  
of her apron. Honestly, she had never thought of her that way. Tsunami was the   
  
patron goddess of Jurai, so it only seemed natural that she would try to prevent   
  
the unrest a princesses death would've caused. The way Belldandy described her,   
  
it was a more loving Tsunami then had ever existed in Sasami's mind, and she   
  
thought it was odd that she'd never felt that way before, with her link. She   
  
sounded almost like a mother. 'Tsunami created me...' she thought. ' Is   
  
Tsunami my mother? I never thought I had a mother.' She smiled faintly.  
  
" You know, you remind me a little of her when you smile."  
  
_______________  
  
" Let's try again." Skuld shouted. " This time it HAS to work." She   
  
threw down her screwdriver, and held up a remote control. " Now Washu, let's   
  
see how you fair against the Skuld electromagnetic security disabling device,   
  
mark 12!" She slammed her finger down on the button. A small nuclear warhead   
  
detonated, but a forcefield channeled all the energy at the door. The instant   
  
before it hit, a dozen carefully placed computer's disabled the mechanical   
  
locks, the force overwhelmed the first forcefield, and then the electromagnetic   
  
pulse disabled everything else. A few moments passed and nothing helped.   
  
" Come on, come on." Skuld whispered, crossing her fingers with her left   
  
hand and touching the doorknob with her right. She yanked it open, and jumped   
  
through. Skuld didn't bother looking around, forgetting her goal of actually   
  
getting through.   
  
" I did it." She said, quiet with awe. " I did it! I can't believe   
  
it, not even the great Washu is a match for my genius." She closed her eyes,   
  
smiling ear to ear, laughing her fool head off. It was only when she opened   
  
them, she noticed a strange red haired girl watching her intently from across   
  
the room.  
  
______________  
  
" I've never actually been to Jurai." Tenchi said. He flinched   
  
uncomfortably, rubbing his throat. " Have you ever been to... Yggdrazel?"  
  
" Nah. I've heard too many things. I'm not even certain I could even go   
  
there. When Belldandy and Urd throw around terms like quasi-reality, and 4th   
  
dimensional, I think going there would cause my head to explode." Keiichi took   
  
a sip of punch. " No offense, but your friend.. what was her name?"  
  
" Ryoko." Tenchi replied.  
  
" She can't sing." He watched the girl on the platform, sounding like   
  
she was strangling a cat. " And I've been to motor club parties at college   
  
with drunk students."   
  
" Normally she's not this bad until she's had a few." Tenchi said. He   
  
sipped his punch again. " This tastes a little different then before. You   
  
think someone spiked it?" Keiichi tasted it again, but shrugged.  
  
" I don't remember it tasting differently."  
  
" Probably Ryoko, but I wouldn't put it past Ayeka either. Sorry, I was   
  
kind of hoping it to keep it clean, since there were children here.'  
  
" Don't apologize. It was probably Urd." He pushed his glass away. "   
  
and if that's the case, I don't want even want to think about what's in here.   
  
And judging by the way your friend..."  
  
" Ryoko." Tenchi added.  
  
" Ryoko is acting, I'd say it's pretty serious."  
  
_______________  
  
  
  
Ryoko had never felt so happy. And the hell of it was, she didn't have a   
  
clue why. She was singing some j-rock song picked at random from the machine.   
  
She could feel something was wrong. With all her strength, the power to take   
  
down a goddess, she was still leaning heavily on the microphone stand. Her head   
  
felt like it was full of lovely soap bubbles, but so many they were about to   
  
split her head open. She might have been worried that Peorth would use the   
  
chance to her advantage, but she seemed to be having fun with Urd.   
  
' I wish I could be that happy.' She thought rue fully. She realized   
  
belatedly that the song was over. She let go of the mic stand, to take a bow,   
  
and ended up somersaulting forward onto the ground. Distantly, it was kind of   
  
fun.   
  
" Hey, do you need some help Ryoko?" Mihoshi put down her tray of punch   
  
down, and looked Ryoko over. " You really don't look well." She muttered   
  
something, and then brought over another glass of punch. " Maybe you should   
  
have more punch?"  
  
" Mihoshi..." Ryoko smiled. " Did I ever tell you how much I love your   
  
hair." She reached up an unsteady hand and grabbed a locke. " A lot of people   
  
might say it looked kind of old fashioned, but it looks nice to me."  
  
" Um, thank you." She said, proferring the glass again.   
  
" I'd say you were drunk if you weren't obviously on something much more   
  
exotic." Ayeka sipped a glass of punch. " I don't care what you do in your   
  
spare time, but don't let Sasami near whatever you've got."   
  
Ryoko suddenly felt like she was going to throw up. No, not throw up, but   
  
kind of similarly as Ayeka spoke. Ayeka's voice carried icy venom, but Ryoko   
  
eye's traced a path slowly traced a path until they met Ayeka's eyes. She   
  
blinked a few times, feeling herself torn in a dozen different directions.   
  
Ayeka's curious stare only seemed to tangle up Ryoko's feeling more. A part   
  
knew something was wrong, that she had never felt this way. Most of her though,   
  
just didn't care.  
  
" What exactly did you put in that punch, Urd?" Keiichi aked, aghast.   
  
" What makes you think I had anything to do with it?"  
  
" Keiichi!" Peorth protested. " Urd hardly had time to create a spell   
  
to avenge me on Ryoko, let alone given it to her. Mon dieu, Keiichi how could   
  
you possibly believe."  
  
" Not a bad idea though." She heard Urd mutter.  
  
" I was actually thinking she did it to liven up the party." Keiichi   
  
said. " Even you have to admit that's something she might do." To that Peorth   
  
made some other comment, and then Urd, Tenchi made some comment Meanwhile, Ryoko   
  
and Ayeka continued staring at each other, oblivious to everyone else.   
  
" Heeeeeey, Ayeka-chan." She propped herself up. " Can I talk to you   
  
for a second? Alone?"   
  
" Why would I ever want to talk to a drunken, ignorant, HEY WHERE ARE YOU   
  
GOING?" Ryoko was walking unsteadily, but not in a drunken gait, away towards   
  
the woods. " You're not going to just start a conversation and walk out on me.   
  
Ryoko leaned up against a tree a few feet into the woods surrounding the   
  
shrine. Everyone had probably seen them leave, but she just didn't care.   
  
Nothing really mattered now except one thing.  
  
" How dare you. I am a princess of Jurai and I expect to be treated   
  
accordingly." Ayeka shouted, waving her finger like she was scolding a naughty   
  
teacher. Ryoko leaned against the tree, arms crossed, with a grin. Ayeka was   
  
clearly surprised by Ryoko's calm exterior.  
  
" Your jealous." She said simply.  
  
" What?"  
  
" I kept wondering why you've been going after me. Everything I do, you   
  
always criticize me. Trying to pick a fight. It's because your jealous. "  
  
" And why would I be jealous of someone like you? What could you   
  
possibly have..." She said, but Ryoko took a step away from the tree, still   
  
wearing a quiet grin.  
  
" I think you feel the same way I do." She lazily put a hand on your   
  
shoulder. " I've been spending more time playing with Peorth, I've been   
  
ignoring you. I thought it was because she was more of a challenge, but I've   
  
been thinking about that too." She took another step forward, now she was   
  
pressing uncomfortably against Ayeka. " About why I was always teasing you. I   
  
think, I think it was because I was just having trouble expressing my true   
  
feelings." She wrung a a fold of her dress, and couldn't meet Ayek'a stare.   
  
" Ayeka, princess of Jurai, I... declare my love for you."   
  
Ayeka made a choked whimper. Ryoko ran her hand a hand gently across her   
  
face, in a gentle caress, and for a few seconds, Ayeka was paralyzed with fear   
  
and uncertainty.  
  
" This is a trick." She said, with so little certainty, she barely spoke   
  
at all. " Your just trying to confuse me while you OOOOOOOOOOPH" she was cut   
  
off, as Ryoko thrust her caressing hand behind her head, and held her steady   
  
while she pressed their lips together. Ryoko passionately kissed Ayeka, who   
  
immediately went rigid under the pirates lips. It was over in less then 30   
  
seconds, and Ryoko had realized this wouldn't be easy, so she refrained from   
  
using tongue. Just a weak nibble on Ayeka's lower lip as she pulled away.   
  
Ayeka trembled for a few moments, staring without blinking at the woman   
  
who had driven her to outburst dozens of time, and countless screaming matches.   
  
Then she let out a scream to rival any before. 


	9. Chapter 4G: Lovve potion 9

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Not Ah! My Goddess!   
  
Characters or Tenchi Muyo! If I did, I would be a very rich (not to   
  
mention talented) man. I'm just writing this fic because I enjoy   
  
writing, and enjoy those two mangas. If you want to sue me, fine, but   
  
keep in mind I have less then $100 in my checking account at any given   
  
time, and I'm giving free advertisement with this fic. Now that the   
  
legal info is over, enjoy me newest creation.  
  
Author's note: Sorry for the length, but I REALLY wanted to get all this into   
  
this chapter. I know I've been teasing everyone for a while, so I wanted to   
  
just hurry up.  
  
Tenchi Muyo! Yggdrasil   
  
Chapter 4, Episode 5: Love Potion #9  
  
" I can't believe I fell for it." Ayeka fumed, twisting and pulling at   
  
the edges of her shirt, because doing it to her hair had been too painful. " She   
  
has no morals, no scruples, no decency, and no shame. Of course she would have   
  
no problems kissing me just to confuse me. Oooooh the nerve of that woman. I   
  
was saving my virgin lips for Tenchi's kiss, and she completely ruined it."   
  
Ayeka fumed. She wiped a piece of cloth torn off her dress over her lips,   
  
almost as if she was trying to wipe off the kiss Ryoko had given her.  
  
" Excuse me, your highness, but is it possible that Ryoko actually has   
  
these feelings?" her seat, formerly her guardian Kamidake, questioned. Ayeka   
  
sat with her guardians, Kamidake as well Azaka, in the main room of the Masaki   
  
shrine, underneath a brand new skylight, courtesy of Ryoko's 'dealing with' the   
  
two guardians. After Ryoko's declaration of love for her, Ayeka had retreated   
  
to her brothers shrine, a place Ryoko rarely came, and far away from Tenchi, if   
  
that meant anything anymore. " From what you say, it sounds as if she is   
  
acting different the she has previously." Azaka said.  
  
" Of course not, you stupid log!" She huffed. She threw the rag down at   
  
Kamidake, but it caught a breeze from the open roof. " This is just one more   
  
thing she's doing to keep me away from Tenchi! It has to be." She sat back   
  
down, and propped her head in her hands. " And it's working..." she sighed,   
  
sitting back down. " I'm here, and she's there, with Tenchi."  
  
" I wouldn't be so sure." Yosho mused from across the room. He was   
  
across the room at a small desk, in the midst of debris from the crumbled   
  
sealing. He had sat quietly through it all, only offering a brief greeting when   
  
she had arrived, calmly reading a newspaper. " How do you know she's not in   
  
love with you?" Ayeka watched horrified as her brother mused philosophically.   
  
" I hope you don't mind your elder brother playing devils advocate, but Ryoko   
  
has never led much of a normal life, spending most of her time since creation as   
  
a slave to Kagato. She has no idea how she's supposed to let other people know   
  
her feelings. I don't find it hard to believe that she annoyed you to get   
  
closer too you."  
  
" I don't want to sound disrespectful, Yosho, but have even been in this   
  
house? She could barely control her feelings. She constantly crawling all over   
  
Tenchi." Ayeka paced around the room, as Yosho patiently listened to her.   
  
Then, he made a strange comment. " If you really loved me, she'd do the same."  
  
" She's been pretty quiet so far." He said. Ayeka gave him a curious   
  
look, waiting for him to finish whatever he was saying. After a few moments, it   
  
was clear he was not going to continue.   
  
" What are you... saying?" She said. Yosho said nothing, just held up a   
  
hand, and extended his index finger straight up. Ayeka's eyes drifted up.   
  
There, legs dangling through the hole Azaka and Kamidake made, was Ryoko. The   
  
pirate made an unhappy noise as Ayeka saw her.  
  
" Thanks a lot Yosho. If I couldn't be with her, at least I could be   
  
near her." She pushed herself off the edge and floated down, keeping herself a   
  
few feet away.   
  
" You! What are you doing here? How did you get past my forcefield?"   
  
Ayeka asked, taking a nervous step back anyway.   
  
" I love you Ayeka." Ryoko smiled thinly. " I know you don't believe   
  
me right now, but I do. If I can't be with you, then the next best thing is to   
  
be near you." She shrugged. She tried to keep her distance from Ayeka. " As   
  
for how I got in... Jurain forcefields have trouble going through sold objects,   
  
like the ground. I don't." Ayeka growled weakly, infuriated at having been   
  
thwarted but still a little threatened by Ryoko. Ryoko sheepishly stared at the   
  
ground, like she'd done something wrong. " Sorry." She murmured.   
  
" Why are you hounding me? Do you really enjoy picking on me so   
  
much?" Ryoko shrugged meekly. " Yosho, why don't you do something to help your   
  
sister. Kick her out of here." She said.  
  
" It's no business of mine." He shrugged, turning the page. " And   
  
besides, who am I to interfere with young love." Ayeka nearly gagged as he said   
  
it.  
  
" You can't honestly believe... Yosho, she's just a sadist who enjoys   
  
playing these games." She shouted. Ryoko gently put a hand out, to touch   
  
Ayeka's shoulder.   
  
" Ayeka, you don't have to love me back, just don't doubt my love for   
  
you."   
  
" Don't touch me." She snapped. Her arm could barely be seen, but as   
  
Ryoko touched her shoulder, Ayeka lashed out, punching Ryoko in the stomach,   
  
with enough force to put her against the wall, and put a dent in it, as Ayeka's   
  
anger finally overcame her caution. " You don't know what love is." If Ryoko   
  
was surprised, Yosho was even more alarmed. He quickly put himself between the   
  
two, although Ayeka didn't seem to be making any moves. He said something, but   
  
Ayeka wasn't paying attention him at all.  
  
" You really want to fight, don't you?" Ryoko coughed, pulling herself   
  
out of the shattered wall, rubbing a quickly forming bruise on her face.  
  
" Stand aside, Yosho. We need to settle this once and for all."  
  
" I knew it. I knew it was all just a game. If you wanted this you   
  
shouldn't have played with me, because all you did was get me mad."  
  
" Please not here then." Yosho sighed, side stepping. " This is still   
  
a holy place, even if you don't believe." He took off his glasses, and sat back   
  
down. Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he shook his head in frustration. On the   
  
other side of room, Ayeka smiled wolfishly.   
  
" Gladly." She dashed forward, not even punching just holding out her   
  
fist like a battering ram, and sending Ryoko right into the flying, shattering   
  
the all ready weakened wall. Not even slowing down, she followed her out the   
  
hole.  
  
_______________:  
  
" Oh, goddess, this is so cool. It has to be some sort of teleporter;   
  
this thing on top has to be some sort of spacial distorter used to move matter."   
  
" Sort of. I use it to get ice from the Antarctic." Washu said. The   
  
concern her voice was obvious to anyone who was listening. Unfortunately, Skuld   
  
was not, and she was the only other one in the room.   
  
The two girls were in a small part of Washu's lab, a normally neat place   
  
that now held lots of little devices, on tables and shelves that had drawn Skuld   
  
like proton to an electron. They may have been arranged neatly once, but now   
  
they were strewn around randomly. The lab was even more cluttered with junk;   
  
tools, dissected machines torn apart for know real reason other then Washu   
  
having no better to do, were arranged on the floor wherever Washu had decided to   
  
put them.   
  
" It's so small. How are you dissipating all that static energy build up   
  
without a large static nullifier? That's what this is, right?"  
  
" That's actually the thing that turns the ice into little cubes." She   
  
said. The little girl's prescence scared Washu a little, and she should try to   
  
get her out as soon as possible, she knew. " I actually use a specially built   
  
demi-cable to channel it away and power some of my other experiments." But it   
  
had been a long time since she had anyone really intelligent to talk too, and   
  
Skuld seemed to pretty smart. " How did you get in here?" Giving the young   
  
goddess a curious look. Pretty smart, however, would be woefully inept at   
  
getting through her defenses.  
  
" It was tough. I had to use make a dozen slicing computers to hack into   
  
the doors security locks, and then used a nuclear device to disable the   
  
forcefields and most of the other security devices." She picked up a small   
  
cube, with a few buttons on it.  
  
" That's a small holographic generator that takes verbal input." She   
  
said, not slightly impressed. She never thought anyone would try the technology   
  
route. " But you make it sound like I was trying to keep people out." She   
  
said innocently, though Skuld didn't seem to be listening.  
  
" It was perfect. Magic decompositioning fields, pattern re-writers.   
  
Nothing magical could do anything to it." She said, nearly swooning. " Tell   
  
me, where is Washu. I've got to ask her about it." Washu stared silently at   
  
Skuld a moment.  
  
" Yo." She pointed to herself. It was too late to pretend she didn't   
  
exist.  
  
" Your Washu? But you're so young. Peorth said you were 20000 years   
  
old." Skuld said, and Washu saw her first opening.  
  
" 20000? I'm only about half of that. I just keep myself young with   
  
technology, but I'm not 20000."  
  
" But you're the goddess Washu, right? Tsunami's sister?" the young   
  
goddess seemed disappointed.   
  
" Goddess?" She said, feigning confusion. " I'm no goddess. Just   
  
Washu-chan." Washu uncomfortably rubbed the back of her head. What to tell   
  
her... " But I like to think I'm a good host. Why don't you sit down, and   
  
I'll see what I can fix up. I have some synths that can make anything you   
  
really want."  
  
" Ice cream?"  
  
" Sure."  
  
_______________:  
  
" Peorth must not be much of challenge, if you've gotten so out of shape,   
  
Ryoko." Ayeka chided, slamming her fist hard into Ryoko's stomach. Ryoko   
  
managed her block a quick jab at her face, but even the force of it knocked her   
  
back a few feet. Ayeka's onslaught had been ferocious, back up by weeks of   
  
anger and frustration Ayeka had felt. It was taking a toll not just on the   
  
battered Ryoko, but on the nearby forest too. Ayeka's wild punches missed as   
  
often as they hit, and the force behind them easily shattered anything they   
  
touched.   
  
" You really missed playing with me, didn't you, highness?" Ryoko said,   
  
her smirk looked misplaced, with her bruised body and torn clothing. " Let it   
  
out Ayeka. Let it all out."   
  
" Playing? Playing?" Ryoko had known it would get a reaction out of   
  
Ayeka, but she realized a little belatedly she might have gone too far.   
  
Enraged, Ayeka grasped a nearby tree; it was small, about as big around as a   
  
basketball, but in a feat of Jurai power, she ripped it out of the ground, and   
  
hurled it straight at Ryoko. Barely flinching, Ryoko didn't move at all, and   
  
Ayeka smirked as it appeared to hit her full on. But the smirk vanished as the   
  
tree continued on, and Ryoko still floating there after phasing through it.  
  
" I am not playing!"  
  
" Aren't we? We're not fighting." Ryoko said. She floated down and   
  
gently landed. Ayeka rushed in to deliver another round of blows, but Ryoko   
  
stood unflinching. " It takes two to fight." She said simply, coughing up   
  
blood. It took Ayeka a second to grasp what she meant, and she had all ready   
  
put Ryoko through a tree when it did. But she didn't.   
  
Ryoko, she realized, had not thrown one punch. She had blocked, parried,   
  
and simply taken them from her, but never returned them. Her thoughts must have   
  
been written on her face, because Ryoko sighed, and laid back into the tree   
  
Ayeka had put her into.  
  
" Finally, she gets it."  
  
" But... why?" Ayeka muttered. Her anger evaporated into astonishment as   
  
Ryoko refused to act like she believed. " Why are you letting me beat you up   
  
like this?"   
  
" You seem to have a lot of anger. I thought it was best to help you   
  
work it out." She stood up slowly, with a few groans. She started limping over   
  
too Ayeka. " And.. I could never hurt you. Even if I have to suffer, I   
  
couldn't hurt you." Ayeka, clinging to the last remnants of her anger, seized a   
  
last desperate opportunity.  
  
" It's never stopped you before!" She snapped, putting her arm out to   
  
stop Ryoko. She slowed, but then awkwardly stepped around it, and gently put   
  
her head on Ayeka's shoulder, and her arms around her.  
  
" That was then. I don't know why I started loving you now, but I do. I   
  
really do." She whispered, her yellow eyes softening, and, to Ayeka's   
  
disbelief, beginning to tear up.   
  
" Oh goddesss." Ayeka whispered, as Ryoko buried her face in her   
  
shoulder. " You haven't been teasing me, have you?"  
  
_______________:  
  
It took an hour, but Skuld was finally convinced that Washu was not   
  
Tsunami's sister. Just a 10,000 year old scientific genius who had the same   
  
name and general appearance as Washu the goddess.   
  
Washu wasn't certain how she bought it either, or what she would do when   
  
someone started contradicting her. But for now it was enough.   
  
Washu gave Skuld a brief tour of her expansive lab, while Skuld told her   
  
all about her sister Belldandy. It felt a lot like being a teacher again, and   
  
having a great report with a student, back at the science academy. She didn't   
  
mention of course that Skuld would have been far behind most of her students.   
  
But still, it was more then anyone else at the Masaki house ever asked. She'd   
  
always loved being a teacher...  
  
Eventually they ended up back in the main lab, where they'd started.   
  
Washu had hoped to play teacher longer, but unfortunately Skuld had made a   
  
decision for herself.  
  
She wanted Washu to meet her sister.  
  
It was the one thing Washu did not want. She'd been trying hard not to   
  
run into any goddess's, she was not about to go meet all of them. But she   
  
couldn't exactly tell Skuld that, and she was getting pretty stubborn. She   
  
insisted that her sister was the sweetest, most kind person in the world, and   
  
that Washu needed to get out.   
  
In the end, Washu had never been able to say no to children. It was   
  
really Skuld's sweet, innocnet eyes that sealed it. She only hoped the other   
  
goddess would be gullible.  
  
Though she knew it would probably be her downfall.  
  
_______________:  
  
It was obvious something was wrong, from the moment Washu closed the door   
  
behind her. For a house home to the Masaki clan, and three other goddess', it   
  
was much too quiet, and the front door hung open.   
  
" That's weird. Belldandy was in the kitchen with that other girl." The   
  
two girls were in the empty kitchen. It looked a little like Washu's lab,   
  
cluttered with most things left half finished.  
  
" Sasami was here?" Washu asked, a little concerneed. This kind of mess   
  
was not something Sasami would do.  
  
" The young girl with blue hair? The princess? Mm-hmmm." Skuld said.  
  
" Figures those two..." Washu muttered, remembering Skuld's description   
  
of her sister. Then, when Skuld gave a look, she just shrugged. " Nothing.   
  
Nothing at all."   
  
Skuld shouted for her sister, but it was clear after a few moments that no   
  
one else was in the house. Outside on the deck there were the picnic tables,   
  
covered with half covered finished plates of food. Skuld was starting to get a   
  
little nervous now.  
  
" Where is everyone? They were right here." Skuld shouted for sister,   
  
and no one answered. Her concern was written on her face. Washu, on the other   
  
hand, was just annoyed. She knew how powerful Ryoko was, and basically how   
  
powerful two First Class goddess would be. Woe be to anyone who tried to got in   
  
their way. Even Kagato probably couldn't beat them all. And then there was   
  
Tenchi...  
  
" Washu! Thank god it's you." An extremely relieved sounding Tenchi   
  
sat, running down the path that led from the onsen. Why everyone would be   
  
there, Washu had no clue. Tenchi could barely be naked in there with his   
  
father. He could never do it with a stranger.  
  
" Mr. Masaki, where is everyone?" Skuld asked, running up to meet him.   
  
Again, Washu noticed something was wrong, but he couldn't quite figure it out.  
  
" They're up at the onsen." He said. But his voice sounded high and   
  
squeaky. " It's Peorth, and that other girl, Urd. They've totally lost it."   
  
" Oh, goddess, what has Urd done this time." Skuld said, her white   
  
cheeks reddening. Washu of course knew her Urd was, she'd seen her and the   
  
other goddess' arrive on the security camera's she'd placed around the house   
  
(can't have anyone see Ryoko fly, could she), but Skuld had never mentioned her   
  
sooooo...  
  
" Wait, whose Urd?"   
  
" She's my older sister. And sometimes I think the cause of all the   
  
worlds problems." Skuld said. " What's she done?" Tenchi stopped running   
  
when he got to them, and started leaning over to pant. Washu noticed on odd   
  
bulge, and jiggle in Tenchi's shirt, and it finally made sense.  
  
" Tenchi... Are you a girl!?!" she said, cocking an eyebrow. Tenchi   
  
nodded, sadly, and his/her breasts jiggled again. " Urd?" A nod and jiggles.  
  
" I don't know why. She just... would you please stop." He said. Skuld   
  
poked his/her breasts a few more times then quit.   
  
" Sorry."  
  
" It's okay." Tenchi shook her head. " We didn't even realize   
  
something was wrong, at least until Ryoko and Ayeka disappeared. When we knew   
  
something was happening, Keiichi asked asked Urd if she did something. Urd   
  
said she had no idea. Then Belldandy started asking her too, and then Peorth   
  
started accusing us, and saying Urd wouldn't do that sort of thing. Then   
  
Mihoshi accused Peorth. After that they both went to the onsen, and sealed it   
  
with some sort of spell. Belldandy's there now, but she can't seem to break.   
  
She said she's too weak now since she changed."  
  
" So you came back to get my help?" Washu asked.  
  
" Well actually... no." Tenchi started blushing, and looked a little   
  
embarrassed. " I kind of... had to go to the Bathroom. And I couldn't just go   
  
in the woods... you know, like this.  
  
" Wait, what happened to Belldandy?" Skuld asked, pushing Washu aside to   
  
speak to Tenchi.  
  
" It'll take too much time to explain now. I'll tell you as we go there.   
  
Come on!" He said, he motioned towards the path, and started running. Then   
  
stopped in mid stride. " Hold on a second." Rushing back towards the house.  
  
After Tenchi went to the bathroom, he explained what happened. He was the   
  
only one to receive a gender change, but almost everyone had been affected.   
  
Keiichi had suffered a major memory loss, and now thought he was in 9th grade.   
  
Ironic, because Belldandy now looked like she was in 9th grade, not that Keiichi   
  
knew who she was. Mihoshi's hair was now a bright green, and to Tenchi's great   
  
concern, Sasami had fallen asleep and they couldn't wake her up. Ryo-oh-ki even   
  
had been effected, growing to the size of a mountain lion. Noboyuki had been   
  
effected the least, only talking in some absurd version of middle English.  
  
" But that's weird. Urd would do things liked that, but not to Belldandy.   
  
Even she'd never do something like that to her sister." Skuld said. " Then   
  
quickly added " her sister Belldandy."  
  
" Belldandy said the same thing. I didn't think Peorth would do this   
  
either, but Belldandy said what happened to us was definitely magic, and only   
  
Urd and Peorth know enough to do this." Tenchi said, gently tapping her   
  
breasts. As she ran, tried to adjust her shirt. " I never thought breasts   
  
could be this annoying. The onsen is right up ahead." Suddenly, a blinding   
  
flash appeared ahead of them.  
  
" Get down!" Washu shouted. She knocked Skuld aside and tackled Tenchi   
  
as he turned around in surprise. A ball of light flew overhead, and past them,   
  
into a tree, exploding with a creating a huge shcokwave.  
  
" Was that some kind of magic? Is Urd attacking us now?" Skuld said, as   
  
the dust settled.   
  
" No." Washu groaned. " It's much worse. A full power blast from a   
  
standard issue galaxy police blaster." Belatedly, she realized her hand was on   
  
Tenchi's breast. " Wow. You're built pretty well." She said, with a good   
  
natured squeeze.  
  
" Ooopsy. I'm really sorry about that!" Mishoshi shouted from up ahead,   
  
putting the gun away. She was standing a little farther up the path. Not to   
  
much farther up a stunned Belldandy watched them come up. She was probably   
  
caring for Sasami, because she lay near her.  
  
" Oh no, Skuld are you all alright!" A young Belldandy said, hurrying to   
  
meet them, but slowly because her clothes hadn't shrunk with her, and she nearly   
  
tripped after every step. " I told Mihoshi that the shot would probably be   
  
reflected off the force field, but she wanted to try anyway." She was even   
  
younger then Tenchi had said, and it still surprised Skuld. " Oh, I guess I'm   
  
the little sister now, Skuld."   
  
" Don't say that! It's not funny, what Urd did." Skuld said. Washu   
  
left the sisters to themselves. There wasn't much she could do to help them,   
  
and everyone would probably like it if she could fix this quickly. She pulled   
  
Tenchi aside, and got her to show her where the forcefield began.  
  
" Ho, fair Lady Washu!" A familiar voice said. Noboyuki ran up,   
  
dragging a young man, who must have been Keiichi, with him, and a very large   
  
Ryo-oh-ki. Her Miya sounded more like a roar.  
  
" Oh my poor baby. What did they do to you?" She cooed, gently   
  
scratching the huge cabbit's head. The cabbit purred under her touch, sounding   
  
like a jack hammer.  
  
" Pray, I hopest thou hast some solution to our ails." Noboyuki said,   
  
looking at her hopefully.  
  
" I'll figure something out soon, Noboyuki."   
  
" It's Washu, dad. There's nothing she can't fix." Tenchi said,   
  
confidently. She shifted again. Washu understood all to well, though she   
  
didn't really share his problem.   
  
Too young. She summoned her computer and pressed a few buttons. A black hole   
  
appeared. Washu pulled out a bra and handed it to Tenchi.  
  
" Don't worry Tenchi. All girls have this problem, at least when they're   
  
older." She smirked, as Tenchi took the bra, but held it like it was a snake.   
  
" We won't think any less of you for wearing a bra." Grimacing, Tenchi took it   
  
a walked a dozen feet away to put it on. " As long as your not a man at   
  
least."  
  
" Wow, she's kind of cute." Keiichi said.   
  
" Stop peeping." Washu said, shooting them a mean look. " That means   
  
you too, Noboyuki."   
  
" Pray forgive me, twas out of an evil habit." He said with an   
  
embarrassed grin.   
  
" Ooops. How could I do that in front of the little girl." Keiichi   
  
muttered. " I'm Keiichi Morrisato." He looked at her uncomfortably. " Do I   
  
know you?"  
  
" No." She said.  
  
" Oh." He shrugged. " It's weird. Everyone keeps saying they know me.   
  
I wouldn't believe them, but that green haired girl says she'll shoot me with   
  
her laser gun if I try to escape." Tenchi returned, looking comfortable for the   
  
first time.   
  
" Can you do it, Washu?" Skuld said, looking at her hopefully." She appeared   
  
with Belldandy.  
  
" Peorth is a goddess first class, and both Urd and Peorth are extremely   
  
powerful." Her older/younger sister said. " I've tried all the powerful   
  
magics I know, but the shield spell will not break. I'm not certain what you   
  
could do."  
  
" It'll be tough, but even magic has a weakness. " She said. She   
  
created another hole, and this time pulled a pillow out of it. She tossed it on   
  
the ground and sat down. " It just might take a while."   
  
" God-speed to you, fair Washu. I pray thee completes thy work before   
  
they finish whatever evil they planest next." Noboyuki said, then cursed " I   
  
tire of speaking thus..."  
  
" Don't worry, Nobo, we'll get you back to saying 'I'm going to work' in   
  
know   
  
time." Washu said.  
  
" Please forgive, Urd. I don't know why she's doing this, but she's   
  
actually very kind at heart." Belldandy said. " I just don't know why she   
  
would do this."  
  
_______________:  
  
" Your hair is so beautiful." Peorth said, gently running a brush   
  
through Urd's hair. " It feels like silk." The two sat in the warm water of   
  
the onsen, oblivious to what was going on outside. Urd inhaled leisurely,   
  
pressing into Peorth with her back. She kicked her legs, gently swirling the   
  
water. Smiling, Peorth put the brush down, next to their clothing, and started   
  
washing Urd's back.   
  
" You never told me you would grant my wish?" Urd's seductive voice   
  
cooed.   
  
" Just being close to you is my wish." Peorth purred. She leaned over   
  
closer to Urd, touching her chest to Urd's back, and gently kissed Urd's slender   
  
neck.  
  
_______________:  
  
" Just leave me alone."   
  
Ryoko had asked Ayeka what she had to do to love her, when she finally   
  
accepted that Ryoko wasn't lying about her feeling, and that was her response.   
  
She couldn't accept Ryoko as anyone on good terms with her, much less as a   
  
suitor, after all their bad blood. She needed time to readjust, and she   
  
couldn't do that with Ryoko hounding her. But Ryoko hadn't given it to her.   
  
She had kept her distance, usually about 50 feet, enough to watch her and talk,   
  
but she hadn't gone away completely, and Ayeka never had the time to cool off.   
  
She'd been able to evade Ryoko, because of the injuries she had gave her, but   
  
she knew it wouldn't be for long. She knew she had to find a place where she   
  
could hide from Ryoko, where she either wouldn't think to look or wouldn't go.   
  
The cave where Yosho had kept her for 700 years would work nicely.  
  
It really was quite unpleasant, Ayeka thought. Certainly 700 years would   
  
make her avoid this place. It was dank, smelled unpleasantly of mildew and   
  
mold. Ayeka noticed though that there were recent footprints on the ground.   
  
She immediately looked around again for any sign of Ryoko, until she remembered   
  
that Tenchi and Peorth had been in here not too long ago, and that if Ryoko had   
  
been through here, she probably would have been floating. Relieved, she   
  
searched for a quiet place to think, going past an almost comfortable looking   
  
open area beneath Funaho. Ryoko was more likely to come there then below. She   
  
continued below.  
  
" This is more of a run down alley then a tomb." She murmured, entering   
  
the gloomy 'crypt'. She had expected it to be empty, from what she'd heard when   
  
Tenchi talked about it, but it looked almost... lived in. Glass containers,   
  
that she thought at first were empty sake bottles (and proof that this would be   
  
a bad place to hide from Ryoko) were just empty beakers and test tubes.  
  
" How strange." She whispered. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness,   
  
she saw the crypt was far from empty. Books lay to one side of the room, along   
  
with something almost like a spice rack, but holding dozens of things Ayeka had   
  
never seen. Someone had obviously been living down here, and she doubted it was   
  
Ryoko.  
  
Stranger still, there was a casket on the other side of the room.   
  
Cautious but curious, she made her way over to it. Seeing a coffin was so   
  
unexpected, she was too amazed to be really scared. The lid was locked, but she   
  
tried too open it anyway, hoping shear strength would do. The lid didn't open,   
  
but the noise woke up what had been sleeping inside.  
  
" Ummm, excuse me, but if there's someone out there could you please open   
  
this coffin. I'm not dead and it's really scary because it's so dark and...."  
  
" Mihoshi?" 


	10. Chapter 4 Final Episode: Revelations

" So, will you go out with me babe?" Keiichi Morrisato asked, gently putting an arm around a flustered, and large chested Tenchi Masaki. Giving a look of infinite annoyance, the now she shrugged it off.   
  
" For the last time, I'm not a girl." Tenchi groaned. " And you have a girlfriend." Tenchi the girl gave a flustered sound and pointed to Belldandy. Belldandy, now a girl little older then Sasami, sighed gently as she watched Keiichi stare at her, without the slightest recognition. It was because of that that she had volunteered to look after the unconcious Sasami. Skuld sat by her side, giving her support and pretty much everyone else had made it over there, getting tired of Keiichi's clumsy attempts to pick up Tenchi.   
  
" I've never seen her before." Keiichi said. Belldandy looked like she might cry. Skuld huffed, with a glare at Keiichi.   
  
" Stupid Keiichi." She said, giving him a mean look. He just looked confused. Skuld stood up and walked quickly over to Washu. The genius girl was reclining on a pillow, as Skuld approached. She lazily looked up while typing, but smiled when she saw Skuld.  
  
" What's up, kid?"  
  
" Have you found a way in yet?" She said, referring to the forcefield   
  
surrounding the onsen, put up by Peorth and Urd after they cursed everyone.   
  
" If Keiichi keeps hitting on Tenchi, I'm going to neuter him." Washu barked out a laugh.   
  
" Yes actually." She said. Everyone, especially Belldandy, cheered. And Washu said, in her perkiest, cutest voice and biggest smile " Are you surprised? I am the greatest scientist in the universe, it was reallly only a matter time." Everyone cheered again. " Of course, it'll take an hour or two." Washu shrugged, as everyone's jaw fell open. " Sorry, best I could do. That's when the shield recycles itself, and the only time I can force it open." Noboyuki swore in some strange middle engligh, and Belldandy sighed and fell onto her back. Skuld looked over her screen, trying to make sense of what Washu was doing, but even to her it was just incomprehensible gibberish. Finally she gave up.  
  
" Just please do your best." Skuld sighed. Not able to help Washu, she could only think of one thing to do. She walked over a few feet and, with her hands on her hips like a scolding mother, and stared seriously at Keiichi.  
  
" Can I help you, little girl?" Keiichi asked, after an awkward minute or two. Skuld grabbed him by the sleeve and tried to pull him.   
  
" Keiichi, you are going to go and sit with Belldandy until she gets better. It's the least you could do as her boyfriend." She said, as Keiichi dug his heels in, and grimaced.   
  
" But she's not my girlfriend. I'm not like that." He panicked, and struggled against the young girls surprisingly strong pull. Although as he struggled, his eyes fell on the sullen Belldandy, clutching her legs and looking at him forlornly over her knees.  
  
" Skuld." She said. Skuld turned. Belldandy's eyes were tight with pain, as she watched Keiichi. But now she was looking at Skuld, and her sad eyes held a commanding look, and Skuld didn't have to ask why. Without protest she let go of Keiichi and went back to Belldandy. " I'm sorry Skuld, it's just Keiichi just needs time alone. He doesn't remember me, so please, don't make him suffer anymore."   
  
" He's your boyfriend, he should be with you."   
  
" It's because he's taller." Belldandy said, bizarrely and with an odd nostalgic smile, like she was remembering happier times. " When we first met, after I received his call, Keiichi told me that he had never had luck with women, because he was so short. Now, he's as tall as he was as a college student, but with a younger mind. And since Tenchi as a girl is younger then him, and shorter too, he feels more confident around her without realizing why. So please Skuld, if he can find happiness for a time, just let him have it, even without me." She said, but her voice cracked like she was going to cry.  
  
" All right, Belldandy, but it's still..." She went to stare menacingly at Keiichi again... but he wasn't there. Tenchi sat next to his father. Keiichi was no where to be seen.   
  
" You're too young to be that sad." Keiichi said, sitting down next to Belldandy.  
  
" Oh... Keiichi!" Belldandy said. Smiling even as Keiichi smiled back.   
  
" I just can't stand to see a little girl so depressed." He smiled.   
  
" So I guess I have to cheer you up. Let's see..." He thought for a moment, stroking his chin. " Did you hear the one about the chicken and the magic sarrow..." He tried to go on, but Belldandy was already laughing so hard she nearly cried. " No, wait, I haven't told the joke yet and it's really funny." Belldandy bit her bottom lip.   
  
" oh yes Keiichi, please tell me your joke." With a smile, Keiichi told his joke.  
  
_______________:  
  
" I'm bored Washu. Are you done yet?" Mihoshi said. She lay sprawled on the path. She yawned, then sat up and looked expectantly at Washu.   
  
" Isn't Cupid and the sailor scouts on right now?" Washu snorted, not taking her eyes off the computer, and the countdown. 60. 59. 58...  
  
" I don't like that show anymore." She whined. She stood up and wandered over towards Washu. " I 'm getting tired of this. I'm just going to destroy this stupid force field." With a deft motion, she reached into her side holster, and brought out her blaster. A quick flash shot out and hit the force field, rebounded off and flew straight at Washu's head.   
  
" Washu!" Tenchi cried out, but before the words left his mouth the shot hit. Hit the forcefield Washu had erected, and bounced harmlessly off into the forest. Washu didn't even look up.  
  
" Thou hast attempted that technique once before, and the effect was similar." Noboyuki said, sounding oddly sage like. " Honestly, milady, I dost believe thou art ev'n more absent minded then previous."   
  
" Whoopsy. Sorry about that Washu." She said. Already however, she stood looking over Washu's shoulder. " Um...Can I play with your computer, Washu?" Apparently she believed Washu would say yes because she was already pushing buttons. Washu slapped her hands away, but Mihoshi would not take the hint and continued until Tenchi grabbed her arm and dragged her off.   
  
" Too be truthful, Milady Washu, I too doth wish to end this curse. How long be it till you can open the barrier." Noboyuki asked.   
  
" Miss Washu? Is everything all right?" Belldandy said. It was the first thing in half an hour to draw her attention off Keiichi.   
  
" Sure. Everythings fine." Washu finally said. She looked at her computer as if it sprouted wings.. " Wow, normally screws up these things."  
  
_______________:  
  
" Mmmmmm. I wish Keiichi would take us to the onsen more. I love this. I envy you so much, having one right here." Urd mused, smiling lazily at Peorth. Peorth's head rested gently on Urd's shoulder, her beautiful hair falling down Urd's naked chest, draping one of her breasts.   
  
" I know. I wish you could stay here. With me." Urd toyed with her hair, wrapping and unwrapping it around her finger. Her head lifted as an idea struck her. " Why can't you stay here Urd? I'm sure we can convince Tenchi to let you stay."   
  
" I.. think I'd like that Peorth." She said, staring deeply into the other's eyes. " But Belldandy..."  
  
" Will be fine. She's a goddess first class, and can handle anything that comes her way. But you... I think you could use my protection." Urd smiled at the thin joke. " And after what they were saying about you out there..." She trailed off, mouth drifting closer and closer Urd's, until...  
  
" Oh... oh Urd. I had no idea." Startled, and greatly annoyed and having their moment interrupted, they broke their kiss. " You and Peorth?"  
  
" Belldandy?" Urd said, staring at her tiny sister. Belldandy stood wide eyed, in front of their stripped off clothes. Her clothes were literally falling off her, and in many places had been rolled up or tied in knots. Urd started to get up and realized she and Peorth must look even stranger. Completely naked, Urd was almost sitting in Peorth's lap, and Peorth had her arm around her, tracing circles on Urd's slender forearm.   
  
" So cuuuuuute." Peorth said. " Were you that cute as a child, Urd?"   
  
" Please, not now Peorth." She said, lightly taking Peorth's arm off her, but holding it and lightly massaging it. " Belldandy please tell me what happened to you?"   
  
" I'm sorry. I'm happy for you Urd, I guess, but this has gone to far. Whatever you did, you have to undo it. Keiichi doesn't remember me and Tenchi's a girl and..."  
  
" That's enough, Belldandy." Peorth said. She stood up and put herself between the sisters, leaning lightly on Urd. " We came in here to get away from wild accusations. Your own sister, without any evidence at all." She stood up, and left the onsen to give Urd a supporting hug. " How could you believe she would put something in your drinks. And Keichi too, you must teach him some manners. Urd would never do anything like that."  
  
_______________:  
  
" Hey, has anyone seen Ayeka?" Ryoko said. Heads turned as she appeared suddenly in the air, and hovered a few feet above them as she spoke. Below her Tenchi got up, shielding his eyes from the now setting sun, and with a strange jiggle.   
  
" She's been missing for a while. Ryoko get down here, we need to talk." She landed with a gentle tap. Tenchi explained what was going on, about Urd and Peorth. He asked her what had happened to her. He didn't ask specifically, but Ryoko saw his eyes glance at her tattered clothing. Ryoko was just glad that her bruises were gone by now, or else she wouldn't have been able to get away with a brief vague mumbling.   
  
" Belldandy thought it best that we all stay together right now, and I guess she'd know more about this then I do. So would you stay here?" she said.   
  
Ryoko threw a worried glance over her shoulder. Ayeka was still out there. But maybe sometime alone would do some good...  
  
" I guess I could wait." Unless they'd done something to Ayeka too... " No I should go find Ayeka. If she's got some weird affect she could be in trouble." She pulled away. " I have to find her."   
  
" Wait," she felt Tenchi grab her skirt hem as she flew up. " There they are now. Just wait a moment, we can ask them how she'd be affected." Reluctantly, she waited. Belldandy, Urd, and Peorth appeared at the door to the onsen. Oddly, Urd and Peorth were holding hands.  
  
_______________:  
  
" So this demon must be really something to take on four goddess like she did." Mihoshi tapped the glass again. Everyone from the onsen had gathered in Washu's lab, in a small room with a few couches, a bookshelf on one wall, but a nice view through three walls and a ceiling of holographic projectors showing a deep sea scene. At least, Tenchi hoped it was a hologram. Otherwise Mihoshi would be really annoying that giant squid currently sucking on the window.  
  
It was Skuld that had suggested they go to Washu's lab. Washu hadn't seemed happy about it, but after Skuld finished telling them all about, from what she'd heard from Washu, Peorth, Belldandy, and Urd had all insisted. It had magic defenses Tenchi had never even guessed. So they had made their way back to the house, and Tenchi practically dragged Ryoko back. She was not happy having to stay, but all the goddess' insisted. Someone alone, even as strong as Ryoko, was vulnerable alone.  
  
So she could only pace back and forth near the door. Tenchi watched her, waiting for the inevitable moment she would bolt run for it. They'd left Sasami in a stasis tube, where Washu assured them she would safe.  
  
" Only really foolish." Urd replied. She and Peorth, unfortunately the best at potions, were currently working together to try and cure them all.  
  
" To attack members of the Jurain Royal family, she must have a death wish." Peorth said, with a cynical smile. " If legends are true, they still haven't found all the pieces of the last one to try that."  
  
" Oh. Really. I hadn't heard that." Mihoshi smiled, or more like grimaced. " I mean, Tsunami is supposed to be benevolent, and kind to everyone. She'd never actually kill anyone... right?"  
  
" I've heard similar stories too..." Belldandy said. " She is very protective of her chosen people. That's what I've heard, at least. Are you all right Miss Mihoshi, you look kind of pale. Have there been other effects?"  
  
" No. I'm fine." She said, although she did look a little pale. " I'm going to go look for Ayeka. It's not really safe for her to be out there." She started walking quickly towards the door. An arm reached out and grabbed her, and Mihsohi screamed like someone ripped it off. Ryoko recoiled in shock.  
  
" Cut it out!" Ryoko smacked Mihoshi. " Geeez, I just wanted to say I'm coming with you. You're too high strung."  
  
" Sorry." Mihoshi mumbled.   
  
" Ryoko, it's too dangerous." Tenchi said. Ryoko looked at him coldly. " It's not just strength Ryoko. What could you do against magic?"  
  
" Tenchi." She said. " Ever since you became a girl you've lost your balls. This is your house, but you only listen too them. You've faced people who could have destroyed planets, so why are you so afraid of someone who turns people into girls? I'm certainly not. Hell, Washu could do that that easily, and she's on your side." Ryoko said flatly. " I'm taking Mihoshi and we're going to go out and find Ayeka. Come with me if you feel like being a man." She grabbed Mihoshi's arm again and marched out the door, and right into Ayeka.   
  
" Ryoko, don't talk about my fiancé like that." The whole room held their breath, as Ryoko suddenly bolted forward, showering Ayeka with kisses, although she was careful to avoid kissing her lips, keeping herself to Ayeka's cheek and neck.  
  
" Ooooh, girl on girl action." Keiichi said, with a rather dim smile. Which only increased as he saw who was behind her. " And twins!"  
  
" Pervert." Skuld said, smacking him across the head with a rubber mallet. " You don't deserve Belldandy. We should set her up with Tenchi."   
  
" Now Skuld..." Belldandy said. " Miss Mihoshi, is this another effect?"   
  
" No way! She's... she's..." Mihoshi bellowed, pointing an angry finger at her double, it's effect lost completely as she cowered behind Ayeka.  
  
" Ryoko, what are you doing?" Tenchi asked, watching Ryoko hug Ayeka life a she was drowning. Ayeka could only tremble slightly, with rage or shock Tenchi never knew, as Ryoko so publicly revealed her affection.  
  
" Tenchi, I'm sorry, but my heart belongs to... wait, why ARE there two Mihsoshi?"  
  
" Oh, it should be obvious, Ryoko. It seems the demon we've been looking has been regerde elle traivellies this whole time." Peorth said, gently putting down the potion she'd been concocting with Urd, and ever so lightly started popping her knuckles.   
  
" Indeed." Urd said, doing the same. " Good. I've been sitting around too long, I could use some action. Belldandy, please stay out of this. You're too weak right now, let Peorth and I handle this." She walked over and stood next to Peorth, and whispered in her ear. " It's so cute how you talk in French like that."   
  
" You really think so, mon adoree? Everyone else around here seems annoyed by it."   
  
" Of course, my love." They shared a quick kiss.   
  
" Wow. That Cupid's arrow is really something." One of the Mihoshi's murmured. Then froze as she realized she had said it out loud. " I said nothing. Hey look, shinies!" She pointed, and started wandering away. Towards the door.   
  
" I never thought I'd say this, but not even Mihoshi's that stupid." Ryoko said. Ayeka had finally come together and given her a firm shove away.   
  
" That's right, Ryoko." Mihoshi said, from behind Ayeka. " You're under arrest for assaulting an officer of the galactic police, impersonating a galactic police officer, kidnapping a galactic police officer, and... and maybe some other things. Now come over here and let me arrest you!"   
  
" No! You're the demon. You... you..." The demon sighed. " You're not buying this are you?"  
  
" Nope." Ryoko said.  
  
" Not really." Tenchi said.   
  
" Mara, what made you attack the Jurain royal family? I never would have expected that from you?" Belldandy said. Next to her, Keiichi watched with bland disinterest, having given up trying to understand a long time ago.  
  
" I just wanted... wait, you think I'm Mara?"   
  
" You're not? Oh." Belldandy said. " It's just that Mara always seems to be the one bothering us. I just thought..." But the demon was in her own little world.   
  
" Yes, yes, yes!" she said, twirling like a school girl in love. " I impressed them, they think I'm a high level demon. I did it! I did it!"   
  
" Does she know we're going to beat her senseless for what she did?" Ryoko asked. To Ayeka's disgust, Ryoko wouldn't take a hint, and was clutching at her again.  
  
" Someone please. We found who was causing this now will someone please cure Ryoko!" Ayeka shoved her away again. " Beat the cure out of the demon. I don't care, just do something." The demon was still dancing about.  
  
" Let me arrest you already!" Mihoshi shouted.   
  
" Oh hey Tsunami!" Urd cheerfully waved, and Tenchi looked around, trying to find the elder goddess.   
  
" Tsunami? Where? Where?" The demon girl suddenly tensed.  
  
" So you do realize how stupid you've been. Just wondering. Tsunami's not here right now," Peorth said, putting on a friendly smile, and putting an arm around. " But if you don't tell me exactly what you're doing, I will personally wrap you in ribbons and direct mail you to her office in Jurai's Yggdrasil." Peorth was smiling directly in her face and had the look of a cat toying with a mouse.  
  
" You wouldn't... You would... but it's only my first day!" the girl said " Okay, maybe more like 5th week but still... you wouldn't do it to a demon third class. I mean, I'm just a kid." She reached up into her hair, and removed a pin. As she did, a wind cascaded down her and the illusion fell apart.  
  
She was just a bit shorter then Mihoshi, with raven black hair, and pale skin like the goddess', and marks like theirs on her face too. Her thin red lips formed into a rictus smile as Peorth stared at her.   
  
" My name is Lufn. I'm only a demon third class. I only wanted to make a name for myself, and they assigned me to make trouble for Peorth. I tried to avoid doing anything to the princesses. I honestly did!" She smiled nervously under Peorth's icy gaze.   
  
" You sicked this demented creature on me, and you tried to do nothing to me?" Ayeka fumed. Ryoko clung to her again, and she shoved her off again.   
  
" Now fix her so she'll leave me alone." Ryoko looked embarrassed as everyone focused on her, realizing finally what her concern for Ayeka had meant. Tenchi looked sick.  
  
" but I don't think I did anything to her yet..." Lufn said, regarding Ryoko curiously as she found a place on the floor, away in a corner, never taking her eyes off Ayeka. " I was thinking about making her... never mind." She finished hastily, under the goddess' glare. " The only thing that could have effected her was the cupid's arrow, but..."   
  
" You!" Washu shouted, standing near her computer and pointing accusingly at Lufn. " I just realized it, but you've been trying to kill Noboyuki!" Everyone gasped again, even Lufn this time.  
  
" But of course! Thou hast been covertly hidden amongst us since the beginning!" Noboyuki said, taking a step back form her like she would bite...   
  
" Of course, Keiichi told me that Demons make trouble for people who get wishes, but he never said anything about murder." Tenchi said. Suddenly he was on his feet, ready to fight, but the stunned demon could hardly speak  
  
" But I... I really didn't..." She said.   
  
" Lufn, how could you! Murder is strictly forbidden, even by demon laws." Belldandy recoiled in horror at the demon, who would break even the most sacred laws. " Murdering Noboyuki would have made you a name as an infamous demon, looked down on by all."   
  
" Um, no I mean..." She tried to start again.  
  
" Unbelievable. Do you crave fame so badly you would be willing to be outcast from the demon tribe?" Urd said. Peorth nodded solemnly in agreement.  
  
" But I didn't do anything. I only got here..." She was cut off by a shower of sparks, that seemed to take even her by surprise. She quickly became transparent, and then she was completely gone.  
  
" Damn." Peorth said, already running for the door. " She must have had a spell of some kind on her. I should have seen her use it."  
  
" Washu, can you find her?" Tenchi said. Surprisingly Washu was already at her computer, typing away.   
  
" Quick, lady Washu, if we hurry we should still be able to follow her magic resonance." Skuld said, running to her side. Washu didn't seem to notice, as she typed furiously on her computer. Peorth and Urd were already out the door, running out of the lab.   
  
" I think... maybe... No, she must have teleported again. I've lost her." Washu said, sighing gently in frustration. Or maybe not.  
  
_______________:  
  
They searched the entire shrine, but found no trace of Lufn. Eventually, as dusk turned into night, they finally gave up. But by then Urd and Peorth had searched through Ryoko's crypt, and had a pretty good idea what she had used, and how to counteract it. Noboyuki was cured easily, as were Tenchi and Keiichi, although they would still suffer effects for a few days. It took Belldandy an hour or so to get back to normal. The real Mihoshi had been just fine, and although no one seemed to know what happened to Sasami, but she seemed to cure herself just fine. The only problem was Peorth.  
  
" Urd, I am insulted. I am a goddess first class unlimited," she said, stressing 'first class', as if trying to make Urd seem less important " To think a simple love potion could affect me so... Do you doubt my love so?"   
  
" It's not that, Peorth." Urd assured her, as the soaked in the spring. Peorth had insisted they finish their baths, and arrogantly refused to believe she could be effected by a love potion. Urd had more practical experience though, and knew how such things could effect even a goddess. Especially since she'd used one on Peorth a while back, when she'd come to stay with Keiichi for a while, not that she'd tell Peorth that. So she'd had to follow her to the baths, and cuddled with her again, trying to reason with her.  
  
" I know you love me, Peorth. I love you too, but I want to know our love is real Peorth. So please, just drink this." She held up a silver vile to Peorth's lips."  
  
" No." She said flatly, turning her head away like a stubborn child, and Urd half hoped Skuld would turn out better. But even arrogant as she was, everything she did still seemed so cute.  
  
" It's chocolate flavored." Urd didn't think it would work, and it didn't. Peorth scoughed at the weak attempt, and scooted a few inches further away, sticking up her chin. Urd sighed weakly. " Well I for one want to certain of my feelings are true." Urd offered the flask to Peorth one more time. She seemed to examine it, but then stuck her chin away again. Urd shrugged, putting it to her lips and drinking it all. " I love you though." She said weakly. She put her lips to Peorth's and kissed her. Peorth seemed a little reluctant, resisting at first, but then seemed to forgive Urd and returned it.   
  
And then Urd shoved the fluid into her mouth. She quickly brought her hands up and sealed her mouth.   
  
" I bet you didn't know I can talk with my mouth full of liquid. It's an acquired skill." Urd said, with a tight smile. Peorth struggled, but Urd's hands were on tight, and she had to swallow it. She looked indignantly at Urd, as the younger goddess removed her hands. " Sorry about that, love, but I couldn't let you live a lie. You'll understand soon." She kissed her again. As she sat back down, she saw tears beginning to form in Peorth's eyes, the goddess first class kissed Urd one last time.  
  
_______________:  
  
" I hate this." Ryoko muttered. She sat on the rock on top of her former crypt. She's been there for what seemed like hours, sitting quietly, curled up in a ball, until Washu came. " I hate it I hate it I hate it."   
  
" Hate what?" Washu said, climbing the rock. Ryoko cursed, and slammed her fist into the rock, spraying pebbles everywhere.  
  
" Love." Ryoko said the name like it was a curse, her face twisted. " Love. I love Ayeka, from the bottom of my soul, but she hates me, and always will." She started to cry. " Every time she glares at me, I feel like she's ripping my heart out. I want to throw myself on her, but.. the way she looks at me. Washu, please tell me there's some cure for this. I don't want to be in love like this."   
  
" You're lucky." Washu said. She sat down next to her daughter. Reaching into a pocket in her uniform, she pulled out a silver flask, identical to the one Urd had held. " I'm ashamed to say, no science can stop cure, but those goddess' magic can. This fake love at least." She held it towards Ryoko, who reached for it greedily. She ripped out the stopper, and gulped the fluid down.  
  
" Believe it or not, I know what it's like to love someone, and hate that you love them." Washu said.  
  
" You mean the guy you..." Ryoko said, clutching the vial to her chest, near her heart, as she started to feel it's first effects.  
  
" Married. Him, and others. People who betrayed me, but I can't hate for it. I can only tell you, Ryoko, the pain will go away now." Washu said, she stood up, and in a surprisingly motherly fashion, brushed Ryoko's hair aside, and kissed her on the forehead. " Feel better soon." She turned and walked off a little. But Ryoko's had grabbed her shoulder before she got too far.  
  
" Washu. What if, after whatever this is wears off, I love Tenchi again. But in the end, he hates me too."   
  
" Tenchi could never hate you. And even if he loves Ayeka, well you'll live a long time. Like me." She smirked. " And when you stop loving someone, you'll find someone else. Form new connections, new friends." She added a silent 'like me'. " But don't think about it just yet. Tenchi won't decide for a long time. And until then, you should fight to keep what you've got. Do whatever you have to do..."  
  
" Washu?" Ryoko said, noticing a strange tone in her voice.   
  
" Nothing. Just thinking." Washu gently removed her daughters hand from her shoulder. And kissed it. " Did I ever tell you I love you, daughter?"  
  
So there it is! My second story arc. Please R&R. I think I'll take a little break, before I start with the final and longest story arc. The next chapter I write for this will probably just be a one shot, although it might not be for a little bit since I'm going to put a couple of chapters onto my Ayeka fic before it's out. Check it out. The next chapter will just deal with everyone recuperating after this, and will be much more light hearted as well. And about they'll be playing a little game... heh heh. It should be familiar to Oh, My goddess readers. That's all I'm going to say, because I suck at being subtle. As if you didn't know.  
  
PS: wow, you must be really devoted to keep reading after all this. For that, you get a cookie, and a secret. Lofn was a real figure in Norse mythology, like Skuld, Urd, and Belldandy (Verdand). And what was she, you ask? Why, goddess of forbidden love :) 


	11. Tenchi Muyo! Yggdrasil Sidestory Part Un...

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters. Not Ah! My Goddess!   
  
Characters or Tenchi Muyo! If I did, I would be a very rich (not to   
  
mention talented) man. I'm just writing this fic because I enjoy   
  
writing, and enjoy those two mangas. If you want to sue me, fine, but   
  
keep in mind I have less then $100 in my checking account at any given   
  
time, and I'm giving free advertisement with this fic. Now that the   
  
legal info is over, enjoy me newest creation.  
  
This is my attempt at being funny. Sad isn't it.  
  
Tenchi Masaki might have been in heaven. Or Hell. He wasn't   
  
quite certain. Whichever it was, it looked oddly like the women's   
  
section of the hot springs his family used to visit, until Ryoko and   
  
Ayeka decided to 'redecorate'. Ayeka and Ryoko were both here; Ryoko   
  
tanned herself on the rocks in a string bikini that appeared to be made   
  
of a single thread, while Ayeka was playing volleyball with Sasami, and   
  
two of the goddess, Belldandy and Skuld. In fact, everywhere in the   
  
spring, young beautiful women frolicked, playfully splashing each   
  
other. What might have made it hell was that Tenchi was one of them.   
  
He/She stood, blushing a deep crimson, in water barely deep enough to   
  
cover him/her below the waist, and leaving his/her naked breasts   
  
extremely exposed   
  
underneath his/her crossed arms.  
  
" Aunt Tenchi, come play with us!" Sasami shouted, waving   
  
him/her over. " We need a third person or else Urd can't play!"   
  
" I'm not certain I should really be up here..." girl type   
  
Tenchi mumbled, trying to cover herself.   
  
" Hey Tenchi, don't be so nervous, it's just us girls up here!   
  
No one's going to peep. Why don't you come over here and put some   
  
lotion on me, Tenchi." Ryoko tossed her a bottle of sunscreen. It   
  
splashed into the water and sank a foot away from Tenchi, who was not   
  
about to uncover herself.  
  
" I'm a guy..." Tenchi said weakly.   
  
" Big sister bust check!" Ayeka lauched herself across the   
  
spring, forcing Tenchi's hands away and cupping her breasts. " Ooooh,   
  
you must be at least a C cup." She playfully squeezed Tenchi's full   
  
breasts, making a sound like rubbing balloons.  
  
" Hey look Tenchi, here comes your fiancée!" Mihoshi jumped   
  
excitedly point to the to other side of the fence. To the men's side.   
  
Tenchi gasped, partly because of the shock, but mostly because Ayeka   
  
just had cold hands. On the other side of the fence, a floppish,   
  
effeminate, and very familiar pink haired Jurain noble could be seen   
  
just above it, riding a camel. A Bactrian, specifically.  
  
Tenchi Masaki woke up, in that bleary eyed, kind of nauseous   
  
state he often did when he had a dream ending with him marrying Seiryo.   
  
It was his own private nightmare, one he'd never DARED tell anyone else   
  
about. The fact that he had spent yesterday as a girl gave it the   
  
spine tingling, ' oh holy crap, is it real?' effect you only get when   
  
the phone rings during 'The ring' or when you're attacked by flesh   
  
eating zombies after playing Resident Evil.  
  
" Mmmmm. Tenchi." The sleeping Ryoko murmured. Sensing his   
  
body   
  
moving, she gripped him tighter. This demon woman who could dent steel   
  
with a punch.  
  
" Morning's aren't good for her, I guess ." Keiichi Morrisato   
  
said. He sat on the bed, putting on a new pair of pants. Tenchi   
  
slithered out of Ryoko's grip with practiced ease as she relaxed. "   
  
Does she always spend the night with you?"  
  
" She's got her own room downstairs. She hasn't done this in a   
  
long time. I can't even remember her coming in last night." Tenchi   
  
shrugged. He stole over and got a t-shirt from his dresser. Something   
  
loose, something that hid his 'breasts' from yesterdays excitement,   
  
which by now had almost totally disappeared to an A cup, thankfully.   
  
" Neither can I. Although I don't really remember much about   
  
yesterday."   
  
Keiichi admitted.   
  
" Tenchi, come back to bed." A hand latched onto his foot with a   
  
vice like grip, and started to drag him back. He lost his balance, and   
  
pitched forward, trying to shake her off. At the site of a fellow   
  
tragic anime harem hero suffering, reached down and yanked. Ryoko was   
  
left holding a sock as Tenchi and Keiichi slipped out the door.   
  
" She is an eager young lady, isn't she?" Keiichi said.  
  
" Yeah, but she hasn't really done this in a long time. I   
  
wonder what's wrong with her today." Tenchi rubbed his cold foot, and   
  
made their way to the stairs.  
  
" Do you ever, y'know, think about staying." Keiichi's lowered   
  
his voice a little, not that anyone would over hear them.   
  
" To be honest, when this first started, yeah, a little. But   
  
Ayeka would kill me." He also started speaking in a low voice. " And   
  
you can only be in so many really bad lemons before sex just becomes   
  
boring."  
  
" I understand completely. I hate lemons. Bel and I have been   
  
in some bad ones. And some creepy ones," he shivered. " I mean Bel,   
  
Urd, Chishiro, Peorth and Mara are okay, especially together but when   
  
Skuld gets involved, it's just wrong. And then there's the yaoi. I   
  
mean, Tamiya and Otaki. Dear Goddess, that's just sick."  
  
" You're lucky if you just get yaoi. I'd rather go with a guy then   
  
some of the things I get set up with this. Ayeka, the SM Queen.   
  
Ryo-oh-ki. Washu as a sadistic mad scientist... well more then she already   
  
is, anyway. And there's this one we try our best to not talk about... we   
  
just say 'sashimi'." A darkness seemed to come over him,   
  
and he shivered.   
  
" No not again!" Ayeka howled, clutching her hair. Frantically, she   
  
looked around, to reassure herself she was still in a Tenchi/AH!MG x-  
  
over. There was a shuffle as Sasami hid under the table, and Noboyuki   
  
avoided looking at Tenchi, covering his eye. " You said we wouldn't   
  
hae to do anything like that!"  
  
You won't, you won't, the narrator tried to comfort the shaking   
  
princess.   
  
" How is your memory, by the way?" Tenchi asked.  
  
" Much better." Keiich sniffed. " That's Belldandy's cooking. I   
  
remember that much." Keiichi breathed deeply, savoring the mere smell.   
  
" Belldandy! Belldandy!"   
  
" Oh Keiichi darling." A sweet voice answered. Keiichi dragged   
  
Tenchi right past the table, and over the thick, very friction-y rug,   
  
where everyone else who was awake was eating breakfast. Keiichi   
  
slammed the door open, then closed, ignoring the crunch as Tenchi lost   
  
a few vital body parts.  
  
" Keiichi, my sweet." Cried Urd, but with Belldandy's voice. " Make   
  
love to me, right now, Keiichi!" The blonde headed norn leaped into   
  
his arms, showering him with kisses. She embraced him tightly, but   
  
making sure her cleavage was directly under his nose. Keiichi felt a   
  
slight trickle of blood from his nose...  
  
" Urd." He dropped her flat on her butt. She 'oof'd a little, and   
  
rubbed her behind. The older goddess sister had chosen an   
  
exceptionally erotic outfit today, obviously from her 'Hey, look at   
  
THESE' collection. Basically it was just a series of straps, one   
  
horizontal around her neck, two vertical going up barely (barely)   
  
covering her nipples, and about a dozen straps circling her chest.   
  
Though the straps actually merged into one large one below her waist,   
  
and acted as a mini-skirt. She cupped her hands and stared up   
  
innocently. " What are you doing?"  
  
" Just trying to give you a taste for love, Keiichi. Maybe if you   
  
knew what you're missing, you'd hurry up and get serious with Bel."   
  
She said, standing up. She was still using Belldandy's voice though.   
  
She sighed, pawing herself. " Are you all right?" Keiichi nodded,   
  
using his sleeve to step the blood flow.   
  
" Please help..." a weak voice whimpered.  
  
" Hey, what happened to Tenchi?" Keiichi looked behind him. Tenchi   
  
lay on the ground, bleeding profusely and newly formed blue-black stair   
  
shaped bruises. For some odd reason Keiichi had a sudden image of   
  
himself moments after hearing the phrase 'Urd bolt.' " I didn't do it"   
  
" I never said you did." Urd knelt down, feeling for a pulse. "   
  
Ooooh, Bell's going to be mad. I get left in charge for a little bit   
  
and someone almost dies..." she motioned with her hands, and said a   
  
spell. A small vile, filled with an orange fluid that was already   
  
bubbling, appeared in her hand. " Drink up, Tenchi." She shoved it   
  
in his mouth, and made him drink it. Tenchi gagged a little and   
  
suddenly shoved himself backwards, in what Keiichi imagined was an   
  
attempt to distance himself from his tongue.   
  
" I'm gonna be sick..." he said, getting to his feet and dashing   
  
towards the kitchen sink. He didn't vomit, but he hung his head over   
  
the drain for a few minutes, just in case.  
  
" Urd, what did that do?" Keiichi said out of the side of his mouth.   
  
His eyes never left Tenchi, as if at any moment he might become a   
  
hulking monster.  
  
" Don't worry. It'll just take his body back to before his injuries.   
  
He'll be fine." She tried to re-assure him. And Tenchi did seem to be   
  
feeling a little better.  
  
" I feel a little better." Tenchi said. " I don't feel so nauseous   
  
anymore. I feel... I feel top heavy." Tenchi gently touched his   
  
chest. " My breasts are coming back!"   
  
After turning Tenchi back into a man (again), they remembered why they   
  
came down in the first place. Urd served them their breakfast; it   
  
smelled incredible. Sweet, spicy, tender, and in all ways delicious.   
  
Keiichi looked at it. Then Urd. Then the food again. Then Urd again.   
  
" This isn't right. I can't remember exactly why, but I know this is   
  
not right." He held up the food, and poked it with the fork to see if   
  
it moved. Tenchi guessed he knew why, and tossed a look over shoulder.   
  
It was almost like he could see Ayeka through the kitchen wall.  
  
" Really funny, K-boy. But Belldandy made breakfast before she left.   
  
Now eat it, I've got plans for today." She grabbed their arms and   
  
dragged them out to the dining room. Outside, everyone was gathered   
  
around the table. No, not everyone.  
  
" Where's Washu?" Tenchi asked? " And the younget sister, Skuld?"   
  
" I'm pretty sure I saw them heading down towards Washu's lab."   
  
Mihoshi said, in between mouthfuls of her favorite cereal, with little   
  
sailor scout marshmallows.  
  
Washu stood near the blackboard, dressed in her favorite professor   
  
uniform and square cap, using a pointer to indicate spots on a map of   
  
the brain.  
  
" And with these simple steps, you can shatter the human psyche and   
  
rebuild it to your desire." She said.  
  
" I'm so glad you decided to teach me. I'm sure I can learn so much   
  
from you, Washu." Skuld cackled madly, in a disturbing Washu   
  
imitation. " Keiichi, just you wait."  
  
" And Belldandy and Peorth?" Keiichi asked.  
  
" I saw them heading up towards the hot spring." Ayeka said.  
  
" My my, Peorth really gets around." Ryoko said, now awake and   
  
diving from the second floor into Tenchi's arms. Face. Whatever.  
  
" Come over here Belldandy." Peorth swished the water next to   
  
her, motioning the other goddess towards her. The two goddess were   
  
stripped naked, relaxing in the hotspring.  
  
" Peorth, why did you call me up here?"  
  
" Why, to seduce you, of course, pretty, sexy Belldandy."   
  
Peorth cooed in her sexist voice at her. Belldandy stared without   
  
blinking for a minute, and then inched farther away. " I'm joking   
  
Bell."  
  
" They had to discuss something important. AND WE DID NOT HAVE   
  
SEX!"   
  
Urd growled. The ground quaked, and lightning struck outside. Ryoko   
  
didn't seem to notice as she crushed... er cuddled with Tenchi on the   
  
cratered floor. Suddenly she was nice again. " So that just leaves   
  
me to babysit you all."  
  
" But's it's my house. I'm supposed to be the host here."   
  
Tenchi dug his nails into the floor and tried to crawl out from beneath   
  
Ryoko. " Can't... breathe. Ribs... crushed."  
  
" So you want to be like our nanny?" Mihoshi's eye's lit up and   
  
she was   
  
suddenly sitting next to Urd. " I used to have a nanny when I was   
  
younger. We used to play make believe and princess..." Ayeka suddenly   
  
imagined Mihoshi as a princess of Jurai. And the bloody civil war that   
  
would undoubtedly follow. " and games. She'd try and teach me things   
  
too, that was kind of boring but I'd still love to have a nanny again."  
  
" I could get a dog. I've heard they're good nanny's."   
  
Noboyuki reminded everyone of his presence, making a random Peter Pan   
  
reference that was both confusing and extremely out of place in an   
  
anime fanfic. Everyone ignored it, including the readers.   
  
" Right... Anyway, I can do the games part, at lest. I'd been   
  
planning to anyway." Urd said. She reached under the table, pulling   
  
out a box she'd hidden there earlier. Thunder crackled outside, and   
  
the lights seemed to dim just slightly. " It's a little something   
  
called 'Life, Sugoroku special'!" She said, holding the box aloft like   
  
a holy relic of a bygone era. Which it was, really.  
  
The game itself was invented by an ancient race of beings,   
  
obsessed with entertainment, that existed centuries ago on a distant planet. Skilled at magic, they wanted to create that was fun to play, fulfilling to   
  
win, and with the rich taste of gravy. Sadly they had to settle for   
  
two of the three. It enjoyed immense success, and was played   
  
throughout the planet. Sadly its success was its creators downfall.   
  
In an attempt at capitalizing off the craze in a way even the Disney   
  
corporation might possibly but probably not think was too much, variant   
  
after variant was released, eventually increasing the mass of the   
  
planet until it became black hole, and swallowed every planet in the   
  
system, grinding and crushing them everything into a thimble sized   
  
sphere.   
  
On a happy note, no one died. Upon its formation, the black hole   
  
created a wormhole that transported the entire population to a magical   
  
alternate universe, full of elves and kittens and trees that grow   
  
chocolate chip cookies. Really, it did.Just keep telling yourself   
  
that. I need to keep my PG rating.  
  
" Is this... familiar at all, Keiichi?" Urd looked at Keiichi,   
  
her mouth twitching in a nervous smile. Expectantly waiting to her   
  
what he would say, and perhaps ruin her plans.  
  
" Um, it sounds vaguely familiar. Have I played it before?"   
  
He stood up to get a better look at the box.  
  
" No, No!" She insisted. She patted his back, and pushed him   
  
back down. " This is brand new. Just got it at a garage sale   
  
yesterday. It's completely ordinary." She lied.  
  
" A board game? Hmph. How dull. I think I'd rather have   
  
Tenchi decide what we do today. Get off him, demon!" Ayeka lunged,   
  
and pulled the boy grateful boy out from beneath Ryoko.  
  
" Oh, sorry Tenchi. I forgot all about you." Ryoko said,   
  
abscently eating his breakfast. " Sorry 'bout that, Tenchi. This is   
  
just so exquisite. Truly food of the gods... or goddesses."  
  
" Ah, but this is no ordinary game!" " You just said it was."   
  
Someone said. " It is, but it's also magic! You land on a square and   
  
you do what it way."  
  
" What if you don't do what it says?" Noboyuki asked   
  
cautiously.  
  
" You don't understand. YOU DO WHAT IT SAYS. Not optional."  
  
" How did a magic board game get into a normal person's garage sale?"   
  
Sasami tilted her head, looking at Urd questioningly.  
  
" She wasn't normal, she was a witch. But she was a good witch,   
  
named Glenda. Reaalllll trust worthy type." She said, Unconvincingly.  
  
" So you say." Keiichi mumbled.  
  
" We've been pretty busy. I like to just relax for a little bit   
  
when things like this happen. Gotcha!" Tenchi snatched at his half   
  
eaten breakfast, but Ryoko phased. His hand passed right through it.   
  
" Ryoko, give it back." Urd sighed dramatically.  
  
" SIGH. I suppose then no one wants a wish, then. I'll just   
  
put it back." Urd whispered a few words and the game disappeared. But   
  
she'd done enough.  
  
" Wish?" Ryoko said, one arm holding Tenchi close, the other   
  
trying to feed him. Like hen-tacles appearing in a room full of   
  
schoolgirls, everyone around was paying attention.  
  
" Well, not a WISH wish, like the Earth assistance hotline   
  
grants. But the person of your choice must do one thing you want."   
  
She said, summoning the game back. It was clear everyone was going to   
  
play.  
  
Now, you're average person would play, thinking of pleasant things to   
  
do with this wish. A kiss, a meal, a peep at something naughty (if   
  
you're perverted). But not these people. Everyone began considering   
  
everything they've ever done. Ayeka glared murderously at Ryoko.   
  
Ryoko smirked devishly at Ayeka. Tenchi considered duct-taping his   
  
underwear on for the rest of the day. Noboyuki looked at everyone one   
  
of the girls, wondering if how many had found the peepholes in the   
  
onsen. Sasami conferred a few words with the Great Gazoo, a time   
  
traveler who had been visiting her for a while, and just never   
  
mentioned it before. Keiichi had a vaguely bad feeling. Ryo-oh-ki   
  
juggled pineapples on the roof, though no one saw her. You, cast in   
  
the name of God, are not guilty! The author let a joke go on far, far,   
  
far past the point it was funny. And the great street fighter Ryu   
  
continued on his quest to be the strongest war-E-er Ev4R LOL!!!!111 He   
  
cOu1D b34t 5Sj 74 g0Ku! Lol!  
  
The game was set up quickly, though there was some concerns that   
  
got it off to a rocky start.  
  
" What's this one about dancing around naked?" Ayeka asked.   
  
Mihoshi had concerns as well, and voiced them in as dignified manner as she could bring herself.  
  
" I want the terrier. Let me have the terrier! Or that cannon   
  
thing. Terrier!"  
  
" And that, Skuld is how to create a doomsday weapon with just a   
  
string, three matches, an empty milk crate, and seventeen sticks of   
  
weapons grade plutonium."  
  
" You rolled a six, Tenchi. What is it... Oh my, ' you will   
  
show your special talent'." Mihoshi cheered. " I want to see your   
  
special talent Tenchi."  
  
" I can't really think of any special talent. I guess.. I   
  
juggled a little bit in second grade." He picked up a lamp, a small   
  
statue, and an empty glass. After a few tries, he slipped a bit, the   
  
statue hit the lamp, and fell into the glass, shattering it. Tenchi   
  
gyrated like a cobra was down his pants, showing his special ability;   
  
surviving. This was how things had been going; even after a few   
  
minutes things had gotten weird.  
  
" I guess it's my turn next." Ayeka said, adjusting the foot   
  
tall fruit covered hat. She spun the dial, and got a seven. " Spin a   
  
bottle and KISS WHOEVER IT POINTS AT!?! I refuse." She said. " I   
  
won't even take the chance it will land on Ryoko."  
  
" It's a hard lesson your about to learn." Urd said, grimly   
  
smiling. She summoned a bottle, placed it on the game board and gave   
  
it a little flick..  
  
" I'll only do it if it lands on Tenchi. Or maybe Sasami."   
  
Ayeka said firmly.  
  
" Anyone but me, anyone but me, anyone but me." Tenchi chanted.   
  
" Urd Urd Urd." Ryoko chanted, with a wicked smile.  
  
" Urd Urd Urd." Keiichi chanted.   
  
" You know k-boy, if you really want some girl on girl, I could   
  
whip up some of the stuff that Tenchi took yesterday and..." Urd said,   
  
toying with the straps of her dress.  
  
" Been there done that. Happened in the manga." Keiichi   
  
murmured. " Well, that figures." With a rattle, the bottle slowed   
  
and stopped. It was pointing at Noboyuki.   
  
" So sweet, but I know I'll pay for this later." Noboyuki   
  
sighed. Ayeka hesitated a moment, but certain people were getting   
  
impatient.  
  
" Just do it. I want my night with Tenchi already." Ryoko   
  
teleported behind the princess, and gave her a shove. A little harder   
  
then she'd intended. Ayeka flew at Noboyuki in slow motion Furi Kuri   
  
style.  
  
" What does Furi Kuri mean?" Mihoshi asked the narrator.  
  
  
  
  
  
I have no idea. But that does give me an idea. To be more original,   
  
I'll steal from Gainax! Let's go manga format!   
  
Suddenly the world collapsed into a black and white 2d image.   
  
Ayeka::Dust settles, Vein bulging from her forehead:: Ryoko!!!!!!!!  
  
::Cue hard rock with lyrics containg random English words::  
  
The Pillows:: Craaa-zzzay suuuunshiiiine.  
  
Ryoko::Sweatdrops:: whoopsy.   
  
Insert large splash page of the two fighting.  
  
Noboyuki:: Gazing at his hands, leacherously:: Furi Kuri, Furi Kuri, I   
  
furi kuri'd!   
  
Sasami:: Suddenly Chibi, crying:: Poor Ayeka.::transforms into pretty   
  
Sammy.::  
  
Sammy:: Pointing wand at Noboyuki:: You shall be punished!::K-zappppp::  
  
Ayeka:: smacking him in the head with a mallet:: BAKA!  
  
Tenchi:: Cheeks reddened: you don't even know what Furi Kuri   
  
means, dad.  
  
Noboyuki:: Bandaged:: A man can dream, can't he?   
  
Urd:: Sinister:: Maybe we can all have Tenchi explain it to us.   
  
Hehehehe.  
  
The Pillows:: Tiiiiightroooope dancing...  
  
Ryoko:: clutching Tenchi:: I'd rather he demonstrate it.  
  
Tenchi:: Sweatdrop:: Heh...  
  
Ayeka:: Face huge and dark, covers entire panel:: I don't think so!   
  
Mihoshi:: lightbulb above head.:: I know, I know what furi curi means!  
  
Mihoshi:: triumphantly with rising sun behind her:: It's curry that's   
  
moldy!  
  
All sweatdrop.  
  
Manga formatuuuuuuuu... end!  
  
" Huff, huff, huff. We're not getting paid enough to go manga."   
  
Tenchi clutched his side, bent over. " But the author can't be funny   
  
any other way."  
  
" This is a fanfic, since when do we get paid for those. I   
  
can't wait for the third OAV to be released. Finally some income   
  
again." Ayeka lay collapsed on the ground, drenched in sweat. " Even   
  
if we do have to put up with cartoon network censor Nazi's. It's   
  
better then posing for ecchi artwork."  
  
" Too bad the author isn't original enough to come up with his   
  
own ideas." Tenchi sighed.  
  
Do not tempt the wrath of the author Tenchi. Remember I'm an   
  
Ayeka fanboy...  
  
" That sounds promising." Ayeka mused, thoughtfully.   
  
" Ha ha! Tenchi and I will be getting buck naked and wild by   
  
the end of the fic!" The inner Ayeka cheered.  
  
And do the words 'SM queen' mean anything to you?  
  
" Right. Sorry. I won't point out your flaws again." Tenchi   
  
eyed the princess from the corner of his vision. Ayeka smiled   
  
innocently, trying to remember if she remembered to bring her whip form   
  
Jurai. She could always send for it, if not... or surely there were   
  
suitable replacements sold on this planet.  
  
" Okay, back to the game. Next up is Keiichi!" Urd said. Her   
  
skin was pure and dry, she hadn't sweated even a little. " You   
  
mortals need more stamina. All right, spin, Tenchi, seek your   
  
destiny." Her voice suddenly took on a gypsy queen like tone.  
  
" Hooray." Keiichi's unenthusiasm thundered weakly through the   
  
room,   
  
sounding to the highest parts of the table and inspiring unenthusiaiasm   
  
in all who heard it.  
  
The spinner clicked, clicked, clicked, clicked until eventually   
  
landing on '7'.   
  
" All right, lucky 7." Keiichi said, inspiring unenthusiasm   
  
again. " Let's see. ' Go back fifteen spaces.' Jeez, great." He   
  
slid it back fifteen spaces. " ...You will sweep the yard clear of   
  
snow in just a T-shirt and pants? But it's late spring, there's no   
  
sn...whatthehell?!?"  
  
" Skuld weather generator mark 5, activate!"   
  
" Its nice work Skuld, now let me show you how to turn snow into   
  
cotton candy."  
  
" I think I'm starting to remember this game now. We played   
  
this..." Keiichi said. Urd was quickly to her feet, shoving him out   
  
the door.  
  
" No we didn't. Here's you shovel, have fun playing in the snow   
  
K-boy." She shoved him bodily out the door. " You just have no luck   
  
Keiichi. Next!"  
  
" My turn!" Sasami cheered. She spun, and landed on... " You   
  
will confess a secret love to everyone?" She shook her head to dismiss   
  
it, but Ryoko and Urd nudged her knowingly.   
  
" Come on, Sasami. It's just us girls." Ryoko nudged her   
  
again.  
  
" Um... yo." Tenchi and Noboyuki raised their hands.  
  
" You've got no choice princess. It's in the game."  
  
" Oooh, alright." Sasami's cheeked turned bright red, smiling   
  
meekly. " It's true. I love..."  
  
" Yes?" They all waited breathlessly.  
  
" I love... Soichiro Arima. From Kare Kano." Face fault all.   
  
" I know it's silly to love a manga character, but he's just so sweet   
  
and sensitive to Yukino, I wish he would just hold me in his A PE   
  
arms." Sasami swooned, clutching her hands to her heart. " Oh Arima."   
  
Cue serious plot exposition. In a second.  
  
" Yum. Tasty." Keiichi shoveled more cotton candy snow into his mouth. 


	12. Tenchi Muyo! Yggdrasil Sidestory Part De...

" So Peorth, why did you really want me to come here?" Belldandy said.   
  
" Cupid's arrow." Peorth didn't look at her. Her gaze was fixed on the   
  
clouds   
  
passing above. " Love."   
  
" I don't understand."  
  
" It's nothing. Urd and I were going through the ingredients, trying to   
  
find a cure for everyone. We figured out from the ingredients we found that it   
  
was the forbidden potion Cupid's arrow."   
  
" A forbidden potion? She really must have been new to use such a   
  
thing." Belldandy frowned, a rare look on her. " I suppose she won't last   
  
long at this rate. Did you file a report with Yggdrasil yet?"  
  
" Not yet. I'm putting it on hold for a while so I can do my own   
  
investigation." Peorth sipped more sake, putting the cup back down. It's quiet   
  
clink echoed through the quieter onsen.  
  
" I don't see what's to investigate. Are you uncertain that it really   
  
was cupid's arrow?" Belldandy asked. She was a little shocked when Peorth   
  
stopped looking grave, and a little smug. She poured herself a little more   
  
sake, and topped Belldandy off too.  
  
" Belldandy, Belldandy, how did you ever become a goddess first class   
  
with so little potions knowledge."  
  
" Oh, it's just that love potions were always more Urds domain. I always   
  
believed love should never be forced that way."   
  
" Figures." Peorth sighed, " Cupid's arrow was created three hundred years ago, by the alchemist Azazel. Less then a year later Tsunami herself threatened them unless they agreed it was forbidden in the highest manner. We nearly had a war, the demons were that set in using it. You see, it's a special potion. It was designed so that it would only effect goddesses. It was worried that they'd simply make a great deal of it and spread it around the entire Earth, making it impossible for Goddess to do any work.  
  
" It was probably in the punch bowl. She knew we'd all drink form it. But it should have only effect us." Peorth was silent for a moment, peering into her sake.   
  
" I suppose that was thoughtful she didn't want to effect anyone else... but... it did effect" Belldandy came to conclusion Peorth had been leading her too. " It effected Ryoko. The potion that can only effect goddesses effected Ryoko. Logically, Ryoko is a goddess." She smiled thinly. " I don't feel so bad losing to her now." Belldandy looked wide eyed.  
  
" It's hard to believe. Why would a goddess give birth to a child outside of heaven and never tell anyone?" Belldandy stared blankly into the heavens through the window at the top of the onsen. What if, she wondered, I'm not the first goddess to fall in love down here. She might have given birth here too, as I hope to someday do with Keiichi. But I've never heard of anyone like that... And before, Celestine, my old teacher, told me not mortal and goddess had ever succeeded that way before.  
  
" The question remains. Where are they now?" Peorth thinking the same thing as her. For a moment, they sat alone and wondered. Waves quietly spread through the water, in synch with their breath. In, out, up, down, wave, crest. A minute of silence passed.  
  
" The script said this scene was supposed to end with that line. What's up?" Belldandy mused. Peorth nodded agreement.  
  
" You're right. Maybe the authors getting lazy and fell asleep while writing."   
  
I resent that! I have a good reason for keeping this scene going.  
  
" I didn't see a script re-write? And shouldn't we have gotten a copy before hand?" Peorth shot back, annoyance heavy on her voice.. " So what's going on?"   
  
Isn't it obvious? Hot spring. Goddesses. NAKED. I'm sorry girls, but the readers have spoken, and they demand Yuri. So we gotta do a little fan service moment. Whenever you're ready, you can start making out.   
  
" So we just start having sex? For no reason and with no set up at all?"   
  
Peorth's eyes rolled tossed the sake glass away.  
  
It's pron. When has it ever needed either?  
  
" But I'm saving myself for Keiichi!" Belldandy grabbed a towel and covered her bare chest.   
  
" Sigh." Peorth shook her head. " If you really need yuri, just attach some of the files you keep in your 'special' directory. There's plenty there."   
  
I... I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not into that stuff.  
  
" Ha. You have a lot, and some pretty sick 8#& too." Peorth said, wryly.  
  
" She has a point. I always try to see the best in everyone, but you are one perverted freak." Belldandy tried her best to say it tactfully, but failed.  
  
I do not! You lie wench.   
  
" Wench? I knew he was a sexist pig, looking at those things! Honestly, what do you think we do when you're sitting on your butt, NOT finishing your story? We look around your hard drive. It's the only thing we can do to keep   
  
entertained." Peorth shook her head in disgust. " But we stopped when we ran   
  
into that stuff."  
  
" If Keiichi looked at that sort of things, I'm afraid I'd probably have to castrate him to make him stop. It would hurt, but I'd do it for love."   
  
Belldandy said.  
  
" Especially the one you use as a desktop image. OTHER PEOPLE CAN SEE   
  
THAT! I mean, the woman is..." Peorth shouted.  
  
But there was suddenly and for no reason a loud explosion that drowned out what   
  
she was going to say, as we rejoin the other heroes.  
  
" Can I come out now?" Noboyuki said. He was currently hiding in the closet, pretending to be Yotsuya. He didn't know what Yotsuya was, but it was on the space.  
  
" Yeah, It's just about your turn." Urd said. Noboyuki cracked the door open. The game was almost over all the contestants were near the end, but as it got closer, the trials became more difficult and time consuming. Mihoshi sat, arms crossed and very annoyed. Noboyuki had heard her say " Oh no. Lose a turn!". Ayeka and Tenchi were re-enacting the battle of Midway by pillow fighting. To his horror, Ryoko was baking them all cookies. Sasami was in a death duel with her nemesis Pixie Misa. The house was wrecked again. If he won, he'd probably just ask Urd or Washu to rebuild it.  
  
" Your turn, Noboyuki." Urd motioned towards the spinner. With instilled fear, he spun, and... 6  
  
" Almost." He moved a few spaces forward and landed on the end, but since he had more spaces went back the rest. " Lose a turn." He wiped the sweat off his brow. Could have been so much worse. " I don't suppose I can just quit, can I?"  
  
" Nope." Urd cackled. " No one can quit without DIRE consequences.   
  
Someone will win soon. Everyone's near the end." Ayeka, your turn your   
  
highness." The girl smacked Tenchi won more time, winning it for the Allies, and tossed the pillow aside.   
  
" I wish someone should just win already. I don't care what happens anymore. The wish can't be bad enough. It would change the plot too badly." The princess spun, and lost again. " Arm wrestle the monkey." The monkey crawled in through an open window, sat itself down on an armchair. " Sigh."  
  
" It's so cute." Sasami watched as her sister and the monkey wrestled.  
  
" I wouldn't count on that saving you, Ayeka." Tenchi sat back down.   
  
" I guess you haven't noticed yet, but this is more of a side story. It's not really canon. It's how all these weird things can happen..."  
  
Suddenly the door burst open, and Ranma Saotome strode in.   
  
" Hey Tenchi, me and the crew were in the area wanted to see if you   
  
wanted to do a crossover. Oh Hey Urd. Okay, I guess your already busy with one. We'll go see what Naruto or Inuyasha are up." And the aquasexual martial artist turned and left.   
  
" Like that. And how we can combine things from other Tenchi series."  
  
" Like me." Said Kiyone. The green haired galaxy police officer sat on   
  
the couch, playing with baby Mayuka. Keiichi shrugged.  
  
" I'm glad there's only one real AMG continuity. Worst I get are the   
  
mini-goddesses."   
  
" Like this!" Said Chibi-Urd.  
  
" Like her. But yeah, anything can really happen, it'll just be ignored   
  
in the next chapter." Keiichi said, putting another handful of cotton candy snow in his mouth.   
  
" I wouldn't say that. I intend to bring up a few things later on, mostly   
  
what Peorth and Belldandy were talking about in the onsen." I said.   
  
" Well that can happen sometimes too. Not as often as the other... wait   
  
why did the narrator have quotation marks that time?" Tenchi asked. A very good question.  
  
" Cause I'm raiding your fridge. There's nothing good in mine." I said   
  
" I swung open the door to the kitchen, holding a bag of chips and bottle of   
  
sake in hand, I took a seat on the couch. Then I began to make out with Kiyone."   
  
" I don't think so." The officer pistol whipped me in the back of the head.   
  
" I thought you were above self insertion fics?" Tenchi groaned.   
  
" Hey, I quit doing my cameo's, so now I'm just doing one big one. Oh, and if anyone wants to offer sexual favors for favorable parts in the next chapter, you may begin now. Except Tenchi, Keiichi, or Noboyuki. No yaoi in my fics." I said. " Sitting back, with an arrogant grin, waiting for the offers to come."  
  
" How about I win and then don't stuff these cookies I just baked down your throat?" Ryoko glared down at the sitting author, holding a steaming pile of fresh cookies that smelled and looked like a steaming pile of something else. Ryoko summoned her light sword at held it at his throat. " You know, this is why authors don't do realistic self insertions. All the crap you put us through, you don't make friends in the animes."  
  
" You have a point..." The author was forced to admit. But he nudged the sword away with his finger, suffering massive first degree burns. " But now that I'm in the story, I don't have any actual say in what happens until I leave." I shrugged. " So do as you like, but keep in mind it'd be easy enough to give the SM queen to victims."   
  
Ryoko and Ayeka scowled. At me.   
  
" Fine, whatever. But now that the Ayeka fanboy's gone, I stand a chance.   
  
" Here," she said, thrusting the plate towards one victi... er game participant after another.   
  
" Eat up. The secret ingredient is love!" She sat down because it was her turn.   
  
" Wait, it's not Ryoko's turn." Tenchi said. " Isn't it mine?"   
  
" Yeah, it is. Strange." I began looking around thoughtfully. Something was missing.   
  
" And why aren't you narrating your own actions anymore." Tenchi said. By now, everyone was beginning to realize what, exactly, was missing. Urd was the first to actually say it out loud, the dread weighing down her voice like a fanservice girls chest.  
  
" Where's Mihoshi?"  
  
Suddenly a huge warp portal opened from the Nether realm, and the evil queen Juju stepped through, wielding a magical wand that had a cute rabbit on top.   
  
" I am the evil queen Juju from the Nether regions, and I have come to conquer Earth! I have this really cool magic wand." She wore all black and was really scary looking with a weird looking face that was all scrunched up. And then a horde of evil monsters came out, and they were all looking like evil goat things with six heads and stuff.  
  
" Sammy, we must do something." The magical cabbit Ryo-oh-ki leaped into   
  
Sasami's lap.   
  
" Yes, I will fight you. Pretty mutation magical recall!" And in a magical burst of light, pretty Sammy appeared. The rest of Tenchi scouts struck poses, and transformed into their costumes, except for Tuxedo glasses.   
  
" I can not let your evil stand. Big O, showtime!" Tuxedo glasses/Noboyuki cried into his watch, and suddenly he was in the really cool looking Big O.   
  
" How is this fair." Sailor Tenchi muttered, trying to pull his miniskirt as far down as it went. " I get a sailor suit, and dad gets a battle mech. Geez."   
  
But there was not time to complain, for the evil minions were upon them. Tenchi stuck first, trapping a few in icy snow. Brrrrzzz! Ryoko and Ayeka shot some heart beams and made the monsters fall in love! WOOPWOOP. Noboyuki was outside battling Godzilla! His atomic breath almost melted big O, but Noboyuki   
  
countered with the super megaton punch! Ka-Bam!  
  
With a crash, the fourth wall broke and Mihoshi was hurled bodily back into the fan fic. Back at the computer, I surveyed the mess that remained.   
  
Oh man, she spilt soda all over the keys. Now they're all sticky. And how did   
  
she put all these stickers on my monitor in just a few minutes! And there's   
  
crumbs...  
  
" Um, excuuuuuse me? Battling here." The evil queen Juju said. " I'm battling here. Could you whine later?"   
  
Oh right. --'  
  
Someone, I don't know, the mighty Thor maybe...  
  
" Behold, I am Thor, Prince of Asgard. I wield the mighty mallet Mjolnir! Yea verily." ...came and kicked the evil Queen Juju's butt, and returned everything to the way it was with a few well placed severe blunt injuries.  
  
MI.Ho. Shi.   
  
" Would it help if I said I was sorry?" The blonde tried her best to look cute, but still wanted to strangle her. " You're... you're not going to make me leave the fanfic, are you? Because this is where I want to stay because all my friends are here. Please don't make me leeeeeeave!"  
  
" You remember what Washu said?" Tenchi muttered, non-chalantly leaning   
  
over to whisper to Ayeka. " That one time? With Dr. Clay?"  
  
" You mean 'She's a genius, I swear it'?" Ayeka mumbled back. Tenchi nodded oh so slightly. " I wish he'd fire me." Ayeka mumbled.  
  
Of course you're fired! What makes you think... no. Must be calm. I can't fire her. I need her later on. Just count to ten. 1...2...3...  
  
" Now he's talking to himself." Ryoko pointed out. " Great."  
  
" Let's get the game going, so we can just end this chapter." Urd said. The feelings seemed unanimous. Everyone wanted this chapter to end. Damn you all, I tried my hardest! That's what really counts!  
  
" Just play. As soon as this stops being a side story we don't have to   
  
listen to him anymore. Who's turn is it?" Tenchi groaned.   
  
" Mine I guess." Keiichi got up, and looked at the board from a higher   
  
perspective. Everyone was bunched together at the end of the board, like   
  
fangirls on a bisho. ' I can win this.' He thought, concentrating on the game. ' This is just like a bike. I took physics in college, I know all this. It's just basic principles. I handle stuff like this all the time, in the workshop. I need a three. The coeffcient of friction between the spinner and the holder must be... circumference would be two pi times the radius of   
  
the spinner...the rotational velocity would have to be... so I would have to   
  
put exactly this much force on it to get a three.' Doing some quick calculations, he spun the dial with exactly the amount of force he thought was necessary.   
  
" A three!" And he got extremely lucky, getting a three and winning. Or   
  
maybe the author just thought this had gone on too long, and just wanted to end the story. Perhaps the world will never know the truth...  
  
The game was over, and no nightmares were coming true today. Ayeka would   
  
not be Ryoko's slave, Ryoko would not have to leave Earth forever, Tenchi would   
  
remain a virgin (not counting the numerous hentai's) for another day.   
  
With a relieved sigh, Ayeka and Ryoko got up from the table, though at   
  
least Ayeka had the tact to congratulate Keiichi on his success. Both wandered off to find something else to do on this lazy day.   
  
" So, K boy, the winds of fate are in your hands. What will you do now?   
  
Your words are undeniable, you desire a command!"  
  
" Well..." Keiichi meekly said, as Urd towered over him, " I was   
  
thinking maybe..." Oblivious, she continued.  
  
" But choose wisely. For the one thing you can't wish for is more   
  
wishes. You only can choose one thing, and then it's over, gone, as if it never was."   
  
" I got it, Urd." Keiichi said.   
  
" And even if you choose wisely, there's always the risk you might upset   
  
Belldandy. As much as I want you in her pants, she'd be upset if you just   
  
ordered her into bed. Or Peorth into bed. Or Ryoko and Ayeka into bed. Or..."   
  
" I get it, I get it." Keiichi slapped his hand over her mouth. "   
  
Besides, I already know exactly what I'm going to wish for." Outside, the gentle sounds of fighting drifted in through an open door.  
  
" Why you blue haired mummy! My hair. It's all dirty now."  
  
" It's just cotton candy, princess. It'll wash out."  
  
-----Five minutes later----  
  
" Azaka, Kamidake, defend me." Ayeka didn't think she could run fast   
  
enough. Just minutes ago, she'd been peacefully minding her own business and fighting with Ryoko, but now this!  
  
Two loud explosions behind her let her know her guardians had failed. No   
  
matter, she hadn't thought they'd be able to stop the suddenly beserl goddess.   
  
" Why are you doing this? I thought you were supposed to honor the   
  
members of Jurai royal family?" Ayeka couldn't turn to look, and this way she could think of to gauge her distance.  
  
" Really, sorry about this, highness, but I have to do it. You can thank   
  
Keiichi for this." She said, but distant. Good, Ayeka thought. I think I'm actually losing her. It sounded like it was coming from further away. Too bad she can break through my forcefields. I still don't know how she...  
  
Suddenly the ground seemed to give way; only she realized there was no   
  
ground, just and empty pit, with a goddess waitng below. Urd caught her in open arms.  
  
" Sorry highness, did I never mention I'm a master at throwing my voice?"   
  
Ayeka heard herself say/  
  
----Ten minutes later-----  
  
' Damn, she's persistent.' Ryoko thought. A small twig brushed her   
  
nose, almost making her sneeze. She fought it, twitching her nose. She carefully shifting her weight to keep from jostling the other branches around her. From the ancient tree Funaho, she was both hidden and had a good view of the area around her. She just hoped it wouldn't be too obvious.   
  
She didn't understand. She'd beaten Peorth a couple of times, and Urd   
  
couldn't be that much stronger. But when she'd stood her ground, and fought, she'd lost badly. Urd had shrugged off her attacks, and kept coming. Could it be that Peorth had been the one toying with her all this time and not thee other way around...   
  
" Wha'cha doing, hun?"   
  
" Hiding from... Washu get down." Ryoko hissed at the redhead floated   
  
pointlessly a foot away. She grabbed her and pulled her into the tree, exposing   
  
her head out briefly to see if Urd was around. " What are you doing here, Washu?"   
  
" Just checking up on you. You haven't called, you haven't written.   
  
You're making your poor mother worry." Washu scolded her, taking a seat on a branch.   
  
" As long as you're here, do you have anything that can stop this   
  
goddess?" Ryoko said.   
  
" Nothing that wouldn't also blow up the planet. Now, if you're willing   
  
to wait an hour, I can give you your gem back, and that will probably help a little." Washu said it so casually, it took Ryoko a second to realize it.  
  
Immediately her she glanced at her wrist. The familiar gem Tenchi had   
  
given her was gone. That would explain her sudden powerloss. And why she couldn't call Ryo-oh-ki to her. Washu must have taken it somehow. Her hand lashed out and grabbed Washu by the collar. The little girl didn't flinch, just smiled innocently, flashing her eyelashes, covering big doe eyes.   
  
" Give it back or die, Washu."   
  
" Aren't you a little old to be playing with dolls, sweety?" Said a   
  
voice from behind her. Ryoko was left holding a Washu-chan doll. " I'll get that gem back to you, ASAP, okay? I promise no more then an hour or two." Ryoko felt like reaching out tearing Washu to pieces, but could only scowl and nod. She could stay hidden for a little,   
  
then put that Goddess in her place.  
  
" All right, see you in a little bit." Washu smirked, patting Ryoko   
  
patronizingly on the head. Ryoko trembled with rage, but restrained herself, and hid herself further back in the tree. " Have fun! Oh hello there Urd!" The goddess had just entered the clearing, probably making her way towards the shrine, and not even looking at the tree. Her head jerked up at someone calling her name.  
  
---Soon after that---  
  
" That was really evil Washu." Skuld and Washu watched Urd drag off a   
  
beaten and unconscious Ryoko back towards the house on a huge screen in Washu's lab.  
  
" It goes with the territory, kid. Knowledge is power, and power   
  
corrupts, young one. Perks are nice though; unlimited power, extortion money from governments. If you want to be a mad scientist, you're going to have to learn to be evil. At least once in a while."  
  
---Meanwhile, underneath Stately Wayne Manor---  
  
" The kidnapping letter was attached to an explosive umbrella. It must   
  
be the Penguin, old chum; only he would use such dastardly devices. He must be   
  
plotting some new scheme. Perhaps he means to steal the rare blue emerald of Tyzakorr..."  
  
" Holy icicles Batman, of course. It's also called 'The snowbird Gem',   
  
and it's just recently on display at the Gotham geochemistry factory."  
  
" To the Batmobile! And did you catch that Halle Berry 'Catwoman' movie   
  
at the Bijoux, boy wonder?"  
  
" Holy ing crap, Batman. I did, and it bat-sucked. I wanted to use   
  
my bat-handgun and put a bat-bullet through my bat-head."  
  
---Some bat-time later, back at the Masaki household---  
  
" They are going to be so pissed off when they come out of this."   
  
Keiichi observed from the deck of the Masaki house. He and Tenchi sipped tea, horribly tasting tea that threatened to burn off their taste buds, courtesy of Urd, calmly watching what was possibly the strangest sight ever seen at the Masaki house, as they lazily lounged in some plastic chairs.  
  
" Yeah, but it's going to be nice while it lasts." Tenchi said. With a   
  
contented sigh, he stretched out on the plastic pool chair. " Good thing it was your idea. I'll be perfectly safe as they rip you limb from limb." He sighed again, watching the bizarre scene. " Thanks."  
  
" It was nothing. Consider it thanks for hosting us. I know what it's   
  
like to live in a crazy household. Besides, except for the demon attack, and Urd's board game, it was... come to think of it, have we really done anything else?" Keiichi smiled broadly, looking absolutely ridiculous in his oversized sunglasses. " I wouldn't worry about me though. I've got three goddess bodyguards. Two and a half, really, and that's assuming Skuld wouldn't want me dead... There's no way Ryoko could beat Urd and Belldandy. Right? And Ayeka wouldn't possibly murder someone."  
  
Down on the lakeshore, the two girls in question sat on the ground,   
  
reading some cheesy love manga from Noboyuki's collection, and giggling like second graders. Ryoko and Ayeka acting friendly would be considered by many to be a sign of the apocolypse, but Washu was to busy with Skuld to be working with any doomsday weapons. At the moment. Ayeka and Ryoko playfully teased each other about being in love with Tenchi, never once even snarling at each other. For all appearances, they were best friends.  
  
" Don't worry about it, K. I've got enough of this stuff to keep them   
  
best friends long enough to let you move to another country and hide." Urd tanned herself on the roof of the house, watching over her handiwork with a near-perverse glee.  
  
" Then life is good." Keiichi sipped his tea, and desperately tried to   
  
keep his bile down. Down by the shore, the two young ladies had begun playing with each others, laughing, giggling. " Urd, how powerful IS that potion?"  
  
" Sorry K-boy. Friendship only. You want 'lesbian arrows of love', you   
  
have to talk to Pretty Sammy. And you better do it soon because it can only happen in the universe of... the Tenchi Universe Universe."  
  
" Keeping all these continuities straight is hell." Keiichi said.   
  
" Yeah. It;s hard to keep those straight. I've had a couple manga,   
  
movies, OAV, TV shows, in and out of continuity. I have so many continuities, my fanfic writers can't even keep them straight." Tenchi mocked, eyes drifting towards the infinte heavens.  
  
Oh shut up, Tenchi, the author hissed at the very... prolific character.  
  
" You're right, Tenchi. Wasn't it established that Seiryo wasn't a noble   
  
in GPX?" Keiichi asked.  
  
" And isn't Tokimi actually the younger sister? They said that in the   
  
third OAV, I think, but you had us say she was the oldest." Urd said.  
  
And If I had seen those two animes, I would have included those. I don't   
  
include thing I haven't watched yet. You think it's a mess now, wait till I try writing stories without understanding what's going on!   
  
" How is that different from now?" Keiichi chuckled.  
  
" Cause then we'd have twice as many plotholes." Urd helpfully pointed   
  
out. Rimshot.  
  
Ha. Comma ha. Comma ha. I don't have to take your abuse. I'm the   
  
Narrator. I am one step ABOVE god in this universe!  
  
" Someone's a little full of himself." Keiichi whispered to Tenchi. The   
  
other boy nodded.  
  
" We're terrified." Urd said, in a not terrified at all manner. "   
  
Can't we just skip to the end of this. The readers must be getting really bored by now."  
  
Fine. When the readers riot because they don't get to see the big closing   
  
musical number, I'm letting you face their wrath! But I'll end the fic.   
  
" Keiichi! Keiichi dear!" Outside, Belldandy voice carried in with all   
  
the magic beauty she was known for. Keiichi grinned, forgetting that moments ago a dead character from a strange anime had been feet away. He rushed outside to meet his beloved, and Tenchi came out too to watch as Belldandy and Peorth came back from the onsen.  
  
Quite without anyone realizing it, the side story ended. The casts knowledge of alternates continuities faded, disappearing until needed again. The story line set itself back on the singular path it followed. And I found a way to finally wrap up a story that should have ended pages ago. All was well with the world.  
  
The end of Tenchi Muyo!/AMG! Gaiden.   
  
Authors note: Congratulations on reading all of that! A winner is you! It was   
  
a lot longer then I had thought it would be, but I got in all the bad and obvious jokes I wanted in, aside from a Rei Ayenami side story, so I'm feeling pretty good right now. Please Read and Review. I always love finding out what people think of my work. Next up, 'the devil you know and the devil you don't!' Same bat time, same bat channel. 


	13. Chapter 5A The devil you know, and the ...

Tenchi Muyo! Yggdrasil  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I wish I did, then I'd have a crap load of money and be hailed as a genius, but I don't, so I'm not. Suing me would only waste your time and earn you back 1/100th of your lawyer fees, so please don't.  
  
Authors Note: I originally wrote this as part of a single chapter, but it turned out to be somethingl ike 13 pages, and I prefer to keep my chapters around 8 pages for readability, so I broke it up into two parts. The second part she be up soon.  
  
Chapter 5A - The devil you know, and the devil you don't.  
  
The dark cellar stank. It stank of mildew and earth, both of which were in plentiful supply. But it also stank of something else. Strange things. Unearthly things. The smell held an unholy record of the evil rituals, and unholy potions concocted within it, by its equally unholy occupant. But she didn't seem to notice the smell. Perhaps she had just become accustomed over the years she'd spent there, plotting the downfall of her enemies. Or maybe she was just too busy getting drunk and laughing her ass off.  
  
" Urd... and Peorth? Urd. And Peorth? You're serious? Urd and Peorth were going down on each other?" Mara laughed her ass off.  
  
" I don't know for sure, I didn't actually see them." Lufn said, laughing just as hard. " I was still pretending to be the blonde, so I had to stay with everyone else. But they were in the hot spring a long time, alone."  
  
" I would have loved to see Urd's face when the potion was cured. You taped it, right? You had to have taped it. PLEEEEASE tell me you taped it?"  
  
Lufn had showed up at her door an hour ago, asking Mara if she could ask her a few questions.  
  
" I should have, damn it I should have done that. That would have been soooo great." Lufn admitted regretfully, sipping her sake. Already her cheeks were burning beat red as she was getting more drunk. This girl could not hold her liquor..  
  
She'd brought a small item wrapped in cloth, and bottle of sake to grease the way in.  
  
" Don't worry about it, honey. You're still young. You've got the substance down, now you just need the style. But you still did pretty damn well." Mara drunkenly got up, staggered over to Lufn, slapping her hard on the back.  
  
Two thirds of the bottle later, she was still there.  
  
" They'll never live this down as it is. Yggdrasil is a bureaucracy, they HAVE to make a report when they fight a demon." Mara laughed again, pounding her glass on the table. " By now all of Yggdrasil has got to know about it." She poured Lufn another cup of sake, and forced her to take another gulp. " They'll be getting prank calls by tomorrow morning, I guarantee it."  
  
" I thought I might have overdone it a little." Lufn said, breathing a bit easier now..  
  
" No such thing as overdoing it." Mara raised her pinky slightly, as she tipped her cup back into her throat. " Now, don't take this the wrong way. I'm glad you came to see me, your brought me some great news, and I never turn away anyone bringing sake..."  
  
" But you want to know why I'm here?" Lufn said, and Mara nodded slightly. " There's really two reasons I'm here. I wanted to ask about my using cupid's arrow..." Mara gave a serious, understanding nod.  
  
" The forbidden love potion? You'll be fine. After screwing with four goddesses, not too mention making two of them screw each other, and causing untold chaos to someone granted a wish, the council's not going to let anything happen to you. You might have to send an apology, just don't make it TOO sarcastic. Just don't do it again. So what's this other thing?"  
  
" Well, this." Lufn grabbed the bag, and opened it up. She removed a small item, covered in layers of a silver cloth, bound by a number of very strong sealing wards, and placed it on the table. Opening it carefully revealed a small, tan, item. It looked like it was made of wood, though not from any tree Mara had ever seen. The shape was a flattened cylinder, with a circular pommel holding two small beads at the bottom, and grooved middle part. It looked almost like the hilt of a sword.  
  
Mara reached out and was about to pick it up when Lufn's hand shot out and grabbed hers.  
  
" You can't touch it directly, or you'll get shocked." Lufn warned. " I found it when I was looking for more ways to cause trouble for Peorth." Mara moved around it to get a better look. " I think it may be a key of Jurai."  
  
" I think you're right. Incredible. I can feel its power without even touching it." Mara agreed. She back down in her chair. Her face seemed a bit more tense, as she tried to overcome the sake, and concentrate on this mystery. " But what's it doing here? Only Jurai nobles carry them."  
  
" Well actually... you see... I kind of..." Lufn sputtered.  
  
" What?" Mara asked, staring intently at her.  
  
" There kind of... were.... Jurai nobles there. Two princesses, exactly" Lufn said, and Mara leaped back like she'd been punched in the face. By a giant robot.  
  
" You could have mentioned that earlier!!!" Mara demanded, her face contorted in fear and shock. She jumped out of her chair and staggered back to the wall. " You don't do anything to Jurain nobles. EVER! The last person to do that got... well we don't know what happened to him because THEY NEVER FOUND HIM! I got to get out of here. I can't believe you brought that thing here. You weren't here, I never saw you." She said, dashing for the stairs, but she fell flat on her face when Lufn caught her leg.  
  
" Please, just listen to what I have to say." Lufn begged. Mara shook her leg violently, trying to pry her off.  
  
" There is no way I'm going to hide you. Tsunami will kill me just as quickly as she kill you. And that's not going to be very quick! It'll be slow and painful and..."  
  
" Mara I didn't do anything! I mean, I did, but I didn't mean too. I didn't know they were there until it was too late." Lufn said. Mara tried kicking her in the facenow, but Lufn's grasp was like a vice; She was not letting go. " I swear I don't want you to hide me, I just want you to listen!" Exhausted, Mara sat down of the step.  
  
" Make it quick."  
  
" It's about that key." Lufn let go and stood up, but cautiously watched her, afraid she'd try to escape again. " Actually, it's about the gems in its hilt..."  
  
Tenchi Masaki felt like a scolding parent. It was understandable. In fact, if a stranger had seen him at that moment, they would have thought he was exactly that. A scolding parent with an extremely hot wife, because Belldandy was by his side.  
  
" We're sorry, Tenchi." Skuld and Washu cooed simultaneously. Both held their hands behind their backs innocently, and were putting on the sweetest smiles they could. Washu wasn't being shy anymore it seemed, because she and her new apprentice, Skuld, had been outside making trouble all day. They'd already created a device that could change the TV channel of every TV in Okayama, a chip that could network human brains, and calculated the final digit of Pi. It's 7, if you're interested.  
  
Most recently however, Washu had taught Skuld the finer points of wormhole creation, resulting in half a dozen, 20 foot long, ice worms from Jupiters moon Europa living into the lake. Unfortunately the sudden warming as they reached Earth from an ice planet had signaled them to begin mating. With a vengeance.  
  
" Could you just get rid of them? They must be able to hear the mating calls a mile away." Tenchi asked, over the odd but earsplitting trumpeting.  
  
" Skuld, you especially should know better then this. A goddess can't call attention to herself like this. I thought you'd learned this by now."  
  
" It's no big deal. We can just erase their memories. Washu and I have been doing that all morning."  
  
" But still you shouldn't just erase people memories like that. Memories are important. They define everything a person is. You should try at least too.." Belldandy stopped mid sentence. " All morning?"  
  
" I was wondering why I couldn't remember fifth grade." Tenchi muttered.  
  
" I was just showing Skuld the essentials. She needs to know how to it if she needs too, and the best method is practice practice practice. I promise we won't do it again unless we really, really have too. All right Tenchi?' Washu said, cheerfully. Suspiciously cheerfully.  
  
" I promise too, Belldandy. I won't do it again unless I have too." Skuld said, summoning the assurance that only mischief planning child can summon.  
  
" Now shouldn't you go save Keiichi." Washu said, trying to sound helpful.  
  
" Why? What's Keiichi.... Keiichi!" Belldandy cried out. Keiichi Morrisato was at that moment standing on a small float, halfway out into the lake, being circled hungrily by the worms. His faced was flat, reflecting the stoicism with which he'd learned to accept things like this. Tenchi and Belldandy ran to help, but just as she was about to cast some spell to save him, an arm appeared holding them back.  
  
" Hold on Belldandy, I just need one moment more." Peorth said, marking a few runes down onto a notepad.  
  
" But Keiichi..."  
  
" There's no danger. I'm just trying to get rid of the ice worms." Peorth kneeled down, and adusted a small carved object near her foot. "I've constructed a teleportation field to get rid of them. I just have to get them all in one place. They've been mating all day, so they have to be hungry." And watched as the worms circled nearer and nearer. " I just needed a little live bait to draw them in."  
  
" Can I come back in now? They're getting a bit too close." Keiichi pleaded, as one leapt at him, going straight at his feet. Keiichi managed to scramble over it and back onto the platform with a cartoon sound effect. " Are you going to do it now?!?"  
  
" Wait. They all have to be in the circle, or else it won't work. Perhaps if we tied bloody steaks to your feet. Or maybe chummed the water a little..." Peorth considered her notes, and prepared to do another spell.  
  
" Let me show you how a space pirate does it." Ryoko's cocky voice came from behind them. Tenchi turned, and saw her yellow eyes glinting with catlike glee as she walked up and slapped Peorth hard in the back. She flashed a not-quite-threatening smile at her, and teleported behind Keiichi.  
  
Floating behind him, she grabbed Keiichi's shirt and lifted him up with one hand. She surveyed the water below her, now whipped into foam by the ice worms, excited by new prey. Hurling Keiichi bodily towards the people on the shore, she dived into lake.  
  
Belldandy quickly summoned a strong gust of wind to catch Keiichi, setting him down on the shore. She rushed to his side, and embraced him. In a moment they were holding each other, laying on the lakeside, because Ryoko had blindly tossed an ice worm and knocked their feet out from under them, knocking them both face down into the water. It was actually fortunate, because a moment later the rest passed by where their heads would have been  
  
" So are you going to send these overgrown nightcrawlers home now, or what?" Ryoko said, hovering a foot above the water, and wringing her hair out into the lake. She smirked wryly. Peorth rolled her eyes at the pointless attempt at intimidation, but completed the spell. Ryoko had been doing this ever since Urd's friendship potion had worn off. She had been 'rattling the sabre' as they say, all day, warning them not to try it again. Peorth had been getting more then a little annoyed with it. Of course, it also made Ryoko extremely predictable.  
  
Right in front of the ignorant Ryoko, Peorth completed a set of spells that she'd set up earlier, completely different from the teleportation spell.  
  
On the beach, Belldandy stood up, but Keiichi didn't move. Belldandy gasped, and checked for a pulse and for a breath. " He seems to have inhaled some water, but he's allright now." She said, choked with relief, as a ragged, wet breath passed Keiichi's lips.  
  
" By the way, have you seen your girlfriend lately? I'm been wanting to give her my regards." Ryoko quipped. Peorth's pencil powerfully snapped in two between her fingers, one end flying about twenty feet away, but that was the only outward sign of her irritation. Because really, the prank calls were getting bad enough, she didn't need this.  
  
Besides making herself a pain, she'd also been hunting Urd all morning. But the elder norn knew how to hide when it was needed, and was as good as invisible.  
  
" We really should have a talk with those two about this..." Tenchi said offhand, watching the worms get eaten by a blue tunnel, and sent back to their icy moon in a flash of light.  
  
" Yes, I know. Skuld should really know better then attracting attention like this. It could get someone in trouble." Belldandy agreed, having forgotten they'd already had that conversation, and since skuld and Washu had already left, there wasn't much they could do now.  
  
" I don't have the time. I need to get back to the fields. I haven't tended the carrot harvest in almost a week." Tenchi sighed, looking up at the fields in the distance.  
  
" Maybe I could find a way to help, after I take Keiichi inside." Belldandy said, but a sharp tone cut her off.  
  
" Veuillez m'excuser, Belldandy. We have that thing." Peorth said, jabbing her head towards the house.  
  
" Oh right. Well, I'm sorry. But I can stop by later." Sh  
  
Urd watched it all from hidden in the upper branches of Funaho, the holy tree of the Masaki shrine. It was the same tree Ryoko had hidden from her in the day before, after Keiichi's wish. Which is why Urd was there now. Urd didn't think Ryoko would check in a hiding place they both knew of, and it was a good hide away. Good coverage, good view of the surrounding area, and it even had a nice, mountainy pine scent. All it had needed was a little invisibility spell to make it a perfect high hide.  
  
She would have been surprised to learn there was another reason she liked it, because as a Jurain tree, it had the same magic power she herself, and to a greater extent Yggrasil, had and was almost like a brother to her. But Tenchi's, and his grandfather's,  
  
Jurain bloodline had still not been mentioned yet, and its power had waned from being to long rooted, and without Tenchi-ken and it's gems to draw power from, so she did not feel it. Belldandy had almost realized it one time, having a better knowledge of the current Jurain royal family, and known just who the tree shared a name with, but had just said 'what a strange coincidence.'  
  
Urd watched the group by the lake break up, each going their separate ways. She sat back into the tree, and deeper into its branches as Ryoko's separate way led her into the air, in another search of the area, looking again for Urd.  
  
Ryoko, Urd thought simply. After they had gotten back from the onsen, Belldandy and Peorth had told her what they thought, about how Cupid's arrow had effected her, and her incredible power. It all seemed to point to her being a goddess, or descended form one. Seeing her float over the tops of the trees, it was easy to believe.  
  
Urd followed her intently, hoping to understand a bit more about her. She got close to her, but only to dissapear into the ground near the base of the tree. Apparently she wanted to check out the tomb near the base of the tree. Urd thought it might be a good place to search, once Ryoko had gone. Perhaps it would hold some clue to her origin. Nothing else had turned up much.  
  
They were trying to work quickly, becaue Belldandy hadn't told Keiichi about it. They couldn't stay any longer. Peorth thought it was stupid, she knew Tenchi wouldn't have a problem with them staying too much longer, but Belldandy was insistent. Urd knew why of course. Until they knew what happened to Ryoko's parents, the possibility that there could be a rule they didn't know about, banning Goddesses from living on Earth, or keeping them from marrying mortals. She just didn't want to worry Keiichi. She hadn't told that to Urd, but she'd known anyway...  
  
A moment later Ryoko's head reappeared through the ground, and she returned to her search.  
  
As Urd watched her, Ryoko made her way from the tree, farther up the mountain towards the shrine for a few minuets, then out in the middle of the forest, she paused. She seemed to sense something, or almost scent it. There was an loud crack as Ryoko popped her knuckles.  
  
" Hmph. Come out come out wherever you are." She almost sang. It sounded light and airy from so far away. Then her voiced turned cold. " We need to have a little talk."  
  
Urd thought Ryoko was talking to her, but she was far away and with her back to Urd. So she couldn't be talking to Urd; Ryoko just THOUGHT she was.  
  
" If that's what you really want..." 


	14. Chapter 5A: The devil woman meets the D...

Tenchi Muyo! Yggdrasil

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I wish I did, then I'd have a crap load of money and be hailed as a genius, but I don't, so I'm not. Suing me would only waste your time and earn you back 1/100th of your lawyer fees, so please don't.

Authors Note: I originally wrote this as part of a single chapter, but it turned out to be somethingl ike 13 pages, and I prefer to keep my chapters around 8 pages for readability, so I broke it up into two parts. This is the second part.

Chapter 5B- Introductions. The devil woman meets the demon

" So ya want them with soup or salad?" Said the ten-legged monstrosity, as it prepared lunch for residents of the Masaki house.

" I was thinking watermelon would go nice with lunch. I just picked some up yesterday when I went to market." Said Sasami, as she watched the squid-like horror prepare the meal.

Sasami didn't see why it was necessary to have it at all. The goddesses still refused to let her cook, clean, do the washing, no matter how much she argued that she liked the work. But they had all suddenly found themselves too busy to do it themselves.

So they decided to create a magical familiar to do the work in their place. However, Urd had left most of her magical 'ingredients' at home. They didn't have anything to work with except what little Urd had, some of what Lufn had left, and a few things borrowed from Washu. Their results had been... working, but not at all pretty.

The creature, which had insisted on being called Phil, was a mass of ten arms arranged around a sort of canine-ish head with yellow insectoid compound eyes. But the most creepy thing about Phil was that all its arm weren't the same. A few were humanoid, a few were tentacles, one looked bio-mechanical, (like something out of Aliens or H.R. Giger, which I guess are technically the same thing since they...nevermind), and one even looked spidery.

But it was very polite, and eager to help out in any way it could. And that was really what mattered, so Sasami didn't mind at all.

" Ah, you don't have to do that, honey. I'll just call and get em delievered next time. I'd go out for them myself, but well... yeah." Phil finished silently, stirring a nearby pot of soup as it simmered on the stove. One arm wiped the sweat of it's brow and another slithered under a tray of dishes, stocked with a delicious looking lunch.

" Maybe I should do this." Sasami said, slipping past him and grabbing the tray. She smiled, finally able to do something to help. " You've already done so much for all of us." She hurdled over him and straight to the door before Phil could say anything, and flung open the door. She had intended to bring it to Keiichi first, since he wasn't feeling well, and then to Ayeka, who was sunbathing on the deck and then...

" Oh, Princess Sasami." Belldandy said. Sasami slammed into her and the tray flew into the air. But a pair of hands shot out and started performing a spell, and the dishes stopped in midair. " I was hoping to see you. I hope you didn't do all of this by yourself."

" Actually Phil did most of the work. I was just bringing it out to everyone." Sasami said. She reached up and started plucking the plates from where they hung in the air, setting them back on the tray gently.

" That was very thoughtful of you, but please, allow me to do it." Belldandy smiled brightly and took the tray, balancing it easily on one hand " But your highness, may I ask you a question?" She said, trying to smile disamingly.

" I guess so." Sasami said nodded, staring uneasily at the goddesses. She still felt uneasy around them. Belldandy smiled, and kneeled to eye level with Sasami, trying to make her a little more at ease, keeping hold of the tray through a graceful act of gynastics.

" Little Sasami, do you know who Ryoko's parents were?" She said softly. Sasami's face never changed, but she began to fidget with her hands.

" Well, I know her father was some creature called a Masu. I don't think she's ever mention who her mother was." Sasami replied.

" Did she ever mention where she came from, Princess Sasami? What planet?" Or is she from Earth?" Belldandy's face was serious as she looked deep into Sasami's eyes.

" I don't know. She doesn't talk a lot about what happened before Kagato." Sasami nodded.

" Oh, who is Kagato?" Belldandy said. Sasami paused for a minute, then quickly grabbed the tray from Belldandy.

" I'm sorry but I really have to get everyone lunch. Later!" She said, as she turned and darted up the stairs. She knew, in her heart, and at the back of her mind, that she had done the right thing.

" Well, merde." Peorth sighed, as Belldandy stepped back into the living room

" That was pointless."

" It was the first time heard the name Kagato. That's something." Belldandy pointed out. Peorth nodded.

" Vous droite de sre, Belldandy. You are right." Peorth walked into the kitchen, and removed a bottle of wine from the fridge. " Call Yggdrasil, and see if they know who he is." She poured herself a glass, and passed the bottle to Belldandy, who took it awkwardly, preferring Sake. She set it one the table next to the phone.

" Have they contacted you about Ryoko yet? Or any missing persons?" Belldandy asked, as she dialed Yggdrasil. Peorth made a non-comittal grunt, and snatched the bottle from the table.

" Yes." She brought the bottle to her lips, and drank at least half of it. " And in between their giggling fits, I believe they said they knew nothing." She drank the other half. " J'obtiendrai ma vengeance." She hissed, tossing the bottle aside. I guess we have to wait for Urd, now." Belldandy nodded in agreement, still dialing. It was another reality; not exactly a local call. But eventually she finished.

" Oh hello Mab. It's Belldandy. I need to ask for another records check." Belldandy paused, nodded silently, and turned to Peorth. " Peorth, she says she needs to tell you something." There was a soft 'crikle' sound as Peorth slowly crushed the glass in her hand. She turned her head and glared at Belldandy. " She can't come to phone right now. Yes, I could give her a message." Peorth glared at Belldandy. " Actually I have something important we need to get too." Belldandy continued, but Peorth's attention was grabbed by a certain blonde policewoman entering the house..

" You're back." Peorth stated unenthusiastically.

" Um yeah. I finished up my patrols early today." Mihoshi said. She unbuttoned the top of her shirt, and flicked her hat into a corner. She walked over to Belldandy. " Excuse me, Miss Belldandy, but have you seen Ayeka and Sasami anywhere? I got a message from the GP saying I needed to ask them.. something. Shoot, I forgot what." She pulled out her control cube and started twisting it at random.

" I'm sorry, Miss Mihoshi," Belldandy said, covering the receiver with her hand. " But I'm on the telephone right now... MIHOSHI!" She cried, as Mihoshi's head suddenly collided with the wall. Peorth, who had stood up a moment ago and put the two together, did it again. Then she grabbed Mihoshi by the hair and started dragging her to the door. " Peorth what are you doing?" Belldandy shouted, hanging up the phone. She ran after Peorth, while Mihoshi cried 'ow ow ow owie!'

" Belldandy, you haven't been here long." Peorth said, with a certain grin, flinging open the door, and tossed her about ten feet from the doorstep. " When Mihoshi gets back from her patrols, you will KNOW." She said, stepping outside, and put her hands behind her back, smiling quizzically. " So, what brings you back here, Lufn?" The Mihoshi look alike got weakly to her feet.

" So you knew?" Lufn said, trying to make the world stand still, as her illusion collapsed, revealing the young devil they had all seen a few days before.

" Fool me once, shame on you." Peorth slowly 'tut-tutted' with her finger. " Fool me twice, shame on me."

" Lufn?" Belldandy said, looking at her curiously. " You have used a forbidden spell, endangered the lives of Jurain royals...'

" And really, really pissed off me and Urd." Peorth added.

" Why did you come back? Unless you..." Belldandy paused, examining her. "want to apologize." Peorth and Lufn face faulted.

" I'm.. I'm sorry." Lufn squeeked.

" Oh. Then it's all right. But you have to apologize to everyone else as well." Belldandy said, as Peorth just shook her head, and started walking back inside.

" Belldandy, she obviously wasn't here to apologize. Just keep an eye on her, I'll go fix a truth potion." She tossed a casual glance over her shoulder at Lufn. " I just don't know if I have all the right ingredients. I might have to... work with something less then perfect. I hope there aren't any side effects." She walked inside, and started closing the door, but Lufn burst out.

" It wasn't my idea!" Lufn cried. She fell to her knees and pleaded. " I swear, I didn't even want to come back. But she said you were going to come after us anyway."

" I can't believe we lost to her?" Peorth muttered in the doorway. But a more pressing matter occurred to Belldandy.

" Who?"

" Mara! What are YOU doing here?" Urd asked, not believing what she saw.

" You know her?" Ryoko asked. She hovered a few meters above the ground, in a brand new clearing in the forest, a few places still smoldering. Her red and black battle clothes were torn in a few places and scorched in others. Incredibly, Mara had only gotten a few spells off to do this damage.

" We're best friends." Mara smiled. She stood on the ground, looking up at Ryoko but not intimidated in the least. She popped her knuckles casually, and shrugged off her leather jacket, setting it on a nearby branch.

" We used to be. But that was a long time ago." The elder sister sat on a branch a dozen feet off the ground, watching the women face off out of the corner of her eye, but spent more time examining the devastation beneath her. " But I'll tell you out of friendships sake that you can't win here. This woman took out Peorth, a Goddess first class..."

" And your next." Ryoko said quietly, but still loud enough to hear.

" And there are two members of the Jurai royal family here. I really don't think you want to get Tsunami angry with you." Urd taunted pointed out. Mara cocked a smile, causing Urd to shift uncomfortably. She'd been uneasy since she'd seen Mara's first attack. It had been an extremely powerful spell, after doing something like that, she should be almost exhausted. But Mara wasn't stupid enough to leave herself defenseless, not when she had to know she'd be facing at least three goddesses. And she seemed cocky, lately.

" Thank's for the warning Urd, but I can handle myself." Mara said, lightly tossing her hair aside. Ryoko's mouth curled down in an angry tick, as she extended her hand and summoned her blade. " But look on the bright side, when I'm ruling the Earth, we can hang out again. I guess I could use a slave."

" Rule the world? What are you planning, Mara?" Urd shouted back.

" Oh shut up, both of you." Ryoko hurled her sword like a spear, hitting the ground at Mara's feet. It stuck out, hissing a little as it burned the earth. " I don't care what your planning, but if you're anything like Lufn, it can't be good for Tenchi. Leave now, or else... Boom." She said, with a snap of her fingers. And her sword buried at Mara's feet instantly reacted, exploding like a pound of plastic explosive, throwing up a cloud of dirt and rock, and creating a deep crater.

" Nice shot." Mara said, coughing a little, at the center of the dust cloud. " This should be interesting." She said. She stood at the center of the crater. No, she wasn't Urd realized. She was floating above the crater, and completely unharmed, surrounded by a field glowing slightly yellow.

" A concussion deflection spell!" Urd realized what it was immediately.

" What's that?" Ryoko asked, eyeing Mara more cautiasuly then before.

" A Concussion deflection spells creates a powerful fields that compeltly encases an area in a impenatrible field. But no person, goddess or demon could singlehandedly summon the power necessary to create one!" Mara put her arms out, to stretch and crack her knuckles, ad as she did, she exposed something her hands had hidden. A long and slender object that hung from her pant's belt loop. Ryoko's eye's widen as she saw it.

" That's... Tenchi-ken, the sword." She whispered.

" And Don't worry about Tsunami. We've taken steps to ensure she will not get involved. My... associate is seeing to it personally." Mara smiled wickedly.

" Please let me go. I swear I told you all I know!" Lufn pleaded, tears flowing down her cheeks.

" So you found some gems when you were here, and while experimenting with them, accidentally got bonded to them?" Peorth said.

The three were still gathered at the front of the Masaki shrine, but Peorth had enchained Lufn in magical bonds, leaving her helpless and practically unable to move.

" And then Mara said that it must be some sort of new Goddess weapon, and that Yggdrasil would come after us anyway. She thought if we defeated you four then they would think twice about coming after us." Belldandy and Peorth turned and looked curiously at each other.

" Do you know anything about this, Bell?" Peorth said. Belldandy shook her head no.

" No, nothing. You would know more about these things then me. I've been away from Yggdrasil too long." She said, and behind them was a loud 'thunk' and rattle and Lufn nearly fainted.

" So... no new weapon? No goddesses chasing after us?" she said weakly.

" No. It was probably just one of Washu's inventions." Peorth smirked. " But Washu's almost as scary as any goddess. Let's just give this 'gem' back to her."

" Crap crap crap crap crap crap crap CRAP!" Lufn absolutely screamed, before laying into a stream of obscenities that physically hurt Belldandy's ears, and shocked even Peorth, she drew back from reaching for the gem.

" Lufn please, there are children here!" belldandy said, rushing over to try and cover the girls mouth. But her screaming had already attracted attention. From the upstairs window, Keiichi and Sasami peered out from Tenchi's room, and Ayeka, dressed in a conservative pink one-piece bathing suit, peered around the corner. She'd been using her time free from chores, thanks to Phil, had been working on her tan. She'd set up a lounge chair on the deck, slathered on some sunscreen, got a diet soda and sat out in the sun. But Lufn's cursing fit had, unfortunately, drawn her attention.

" What is this all about?" Ayeka grumbled, looking around the corner, eyes narrowed to a slit.

" Hey, isn't that... LUFN!?!" Keiichi screamed, his voice jumped an octave as he said her name. Hearing his own voice so high, he immediately checked himself for breasts, and relieved that he found none.

" A... A devil? Here?" Sasami mouthed. " What is she doing?"

" You." Ayeka hissed. " Azaka, Kamidaki!" Ayeka stepped out from behind the corner, and summoned her guardians. " This woman has humiliated me, and endangered lord Tenchi. Put her to death!" Her guardians started towards the still-chained Lufn.

Peorth took a last look at Lufn, and quickly backsteped what she figured the safe distance would be. Lufn looked at her pleadingly, but she just waved good bye, and smiled wickedly. Belldandy, on the otherhand, took a quick step forward and threw herself in front of Lufn.

" Princess Ayeka, I understand your angry with what happened to you, but please, Lufn is still very young by our standards. Belldandy stood with arms outstretched, blocking Lufn. " What she did was foolish, and wrong, and she deserves to punished, but she doesn't deserve to die!" Ayeka halted her guardians with a hang gesture. Her features softened as she looked at Belldandy, standing before her. Not even her, it seemed, was immune to Belldandy's sweetness.

" Very well." She sighed, waving them back. Lufn latched onto Belldandy's leg, trembling.

" Thank you thank you." Lufn repeated over and over, tears soaking Belldandy's pants.

" Don't you have any pride?" Peorth muttered, shaking her head. " I can't believe we lost to HER." She covered her face in embarrassment with her hands, as Lufn continued her sobbing. She was crying so hard, she didn't even Ayeka transform into her battle garb. But when the first blow landed, knocking her back twenty feet, she probably figured something was wrong.

" I didn't say I was letting you go." Ayeka said, shaking her stinging hand. " I just won't kill you."

" And I thought Ryoko was bad." Keiichi said, from the window, anticipating Lufn's savage beating.

" Way to go Ayeka!" Sasami cheered her sister on.

" I'm sorry." Lufn pleaded, trying to get to her feet, but failing because of her chains. Ayeka scoffed, advancing towards her. Rejectd she tried option number two."Belldandy?". But Belldandy, still smiling kindly, said:

" I'm sorry, Lufn, I really am. But I was more concerned you might have a doublet. Now that you're no longer in danger of death..."

" She's not willing to risk Tsunami getting mad at her to help you." Peorth interrupted candidly. Belldandy smiled still, but nodded that yes, that was pretty much it.

" Aw cr..." was all she could say before Ayeka's next punch connected, sending her straight into the house (not through a door or window, but through a brand new Lufn sized hole). Ayeka stepped through the hole, and grabbed a handy mahogany table (peorths creation) to beat Lufn with, as Lufn staggered to her feet.

" Please princess, I realize your angry, but please, just listen to what I have to say for one moment." Lufn pleaded.

" Last words?" Ayeka asked, holding the table inches above Lufn's head.

" I just kind of want to try something..." She said. " ISUMMONTHEELORDCYTORRAKBINDMYFOE!" She practically screamed, waving her hands in a desperate attempt to cast a spell. Ayeka immediately swung the table but it shattered against a forcefield, the one that now encapsulated Ayeka.

" but her power should have been bound by those chains." Peorth observed, astonished. Lufn didn't seem any less surprised.

" It worked? It worked? I can't believe it worked!" She laughed hysterically. " Disperse!" She chanted, and the chains binding her disappeared. Inside the forcefield, Ayeka landed a few punches, but it didn't break. It looked like she was shouting, but no sound escaped.

" What did you do to Ayeka?" sasami screamed. She and Keiichi were now on the steps, coming down to see the fight.

" It's just an isolation field, but there's no way she could have done that bound as she was.

" It's this thing. The gem." Lufn said, raising her right arm to her face. With her other hand, she brought down her sleeve. One of Ryoko's gems glistened in the sunlight. But no one who knew that was there to see it. " It's giving me such tremendous power. It's unbelivevable."

" Merci', Lufn." Peorth said, striding briskly towards Lufn, face set in stone and muscles tightened for battle. " Now I know what part to cut off." But Lufn laughed, and raised her hands towards Sasami, on the stairs. Keiichi nobly, threw himself in front of Sasami, but it was just another isolation field. Peorth moved quickly and punched Lufn back outside, coincidentally through another new Lufn sized hole. She crashed through the glass patio door, and landed straight into the lake.

" Belldandy, I'll deal with Lufn. You free the princesses." Peorth flew after Lufn and hovered over the lake. She stared at it, attention fixed on the surface of the water. In the house, Belldandy tried to decompose the fields to free Keiichi, Ayeka, and Sasami, but nothing she did seemed to work. She ran outside to get Peorth's help, when she noticed a green orb streaking towards the other goddess.

" Peorth, watch out!" Belldandy shouted. Peorth's head shot up, she saw it and barely managed to avoid the energy blast. It streaked past them, and crashed into the ground a quarter mile away. Energy exploded outward a dozen feet, formed a perfect sphere, and faded away, leaving a crater a dozen feet deep, and perfectly spherical.

" It's about time." Lufn shouted, bobbing to the surface.

" If anyone has the right say that, it's me Lufn. It took you long enough to isolate Sasami and Ayeka." Mara shouted angrily, hovering twenty feet above the surface of the lake.

" So you must be Mara." Peorth's voice was low and cold, as she locked eyes with the new arrival.

" Ahhh. Your Peorth. Urd told me all about you." Mara sounded like she was talking to her best friend. She didn't seem concerned by the goddess at all. " Pity. I didn't think to bring a gift. I was thinking a vibrator would be something the two of you would need."

" Préparez pour mourir, Mara. You're messing with members of the Jurain Royal family. Tsunami will show up eventually and when she does..." Peorth's snapped, floating down to next to Belldandy. She would need the back up. Especially after Belldandy interrupted her.

" Actually, with Ayeka and Sasami imprisoned in those fields, they're not in any real danger. So she might not come." Belldandy said. " Which was probably the plan."

" Tsunami could still show up." Peorth weakly countered.

" We'll give her your best if she does." Mara laughed. " Lufn, get up here."

" Prepare to see what two first class goddesses can do." Peorth moved her foot forward, and brought her arm up into a battle pose. Belldandy mirrored it. Mara did nothing but smirk at them, keeping her arms down, and offering no defense, while Lufn flew in behind her to use her for a shield. They stared at each other for a few cold moments, the goddesses not prepared to attack, and the devils ignoring it, until Peorth finally said broke it up.

" Mara..." She said, coldly, hardly. " Where did you get those shoes? They are so cute." Belldandy nearly collapsed, and Mara's eyes boggled.

" My shoes? You want to know where I got my shoes?" Mara balked. But then looked down and examined her shoes. " They are nice, aren't they. I think I stole them from a Gucci store in..."

" Peorth, what are you doing?" Belldandy whispered. Mara didn't notice, she was too obsessed with her shoes.

" Do you remember when I told you that you would know when Mihoshi got back?"

" Yes."

" Well she's getting back." Peorth said. And only then did Belldandy see the white spot in the sky, growing bigger by the moment. " We just need to stall for 30 seconds."

" You don't think they clash with that dress?" Peorth shouted, trying to keep Mara from noticing her impending doom. Lufn realized something was wrong, but she kept her eyes fixed on Peorth, waiting for the surprise attack.

" you know, I don't think so. They're black, most of my clothes are black. I suppose they may be more of a darker black." Mara shook her head. " Now, Peorth, if you're ready to quit stalling, I'm ready to hurt you."

" And I thought Ayeka was the SM queen." Peorth said. She was glad she couldn't hear Ayeka, because Ayeka could clearly hear her, the way her mouth was moving furiously behind that forcefield. "And Mara? It's been 30 seconds." Yukinojo hit her right between the eyes. How could Mara have known? Mihoshi was falling faster then the speed of sound.

" Ouch." Peorth grimaced. "That must have hurt."

" I hope Mihoshi is all right after that." Belldandy said, eyes fixed on the explosion. Peorth stared too, but for different reasons. Yukinojo hadn't hit the water, she realized. It had exploded above the lake. Belldandy hadn't seen Mihoshi land, and didn't know anything was different.

In the air hung a cloud of smoke and water vapor, impenetrable. Peorth immediately summoned a wind to dispel it. Fragments of the ship began to rain down, and that's when Belldandy realized something was wrong. She raised a forcefield to keep them from getting speared by metal splinters.

As the cloud began to break down, they saw what happened to Mara and Lufn. They hung in the air, exactly where they had been. They were coughing, they inhaled too much smoke. And they were both surrounded by three light blue panels.

" What in..." They both shouted, unbelieving, seeing the other surrounded by the blue wings. " You've got lighthawk wings!"

Footnote: There. I began the plot again. Hope you like it because the next parts going to be a long, drawn out fight scene between Mara/Lufn and frigging everybody. Even Yosho will be getting involved. And I'm got an interesting thing I want to try with Mihoshi, you won't want to miss that. But it should pick up again after that. In fact, I know it will.


	15. Chapter 5C She blinded me with science!

Tenchi Muyo! Yggdrasil

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I wish I did, then I'd have a crap load of money and be hailed as a genius, but I don't, so I'm not. Suing me would only waste your time and earn you back 1/100th of your legal fees, so please don't.

Chapter 5C: She blinded me with science!

" Oooooh, my sweet light hawk wings." Mara cooed gently, as she stroked the light blue blades. They didn't feel hot or cold to the touch, or give off an electric shock. It barely felt anything at all, almost like a sheet of glass covered with Teflon. " You're going to help me take over the world, aren't you? Aren't you sweety? Oh yes you are."

" Mara, I think you should see this." Lufn grabbed Mara's shoulder and gave it a hard shake. " I think they're plotting something. They've been chanting for a while." But Mara seemed fixated on her new shield. She cuddled with one of the blades as if it were a teddy bear. " It looks like they're charging up, maybe we should..." Lufn's words were cut off by the explosion.

" Hey stop that." Tenchi said, pulling the cabbit out of the straw basket by the ears. Ryo-oh-ki clutched tighltly to the half eaten carrot, and not even a few firm tugs could get it out. " Sasami wants to make a carrot cake for our guests. And she can't do that if you eat up all the carrots." The cabbit miya'd apologetically, and Tenchi sighed. " All right, just this one. No more for today." And he put the cabbit back down.

He looked back up and surveyed the field with a frown. He felt bad about leaving his guests to tend to the carrot field, especially with Skuld and Washu causing so much trouble, but he hadn't done it in days. It was already showing signs of neglect. Some of the leaves were brown, and there were some signs pests had been into it (and not all of them cabbits).

He had just put the hoe back down when a huge explosion thundered in the distance. A dozen lightning bolts crashed down from the sky and a blue orb of energy seemed to engulf an area some ways away. Tenchi dropped his hoe (the gardening tool, you sicko. You have a perverted mind.) and wondered what this new experiment of Washu and Skuld was. A moment later, when the shockwave hit and literally knocked him off his feet, and got a sick feeling it had noting to do with them. He grabbed Ryo-oh-ki and started back to the house.

The moment the energy and electrical blasts crashed against the lighthawk wings, Peorth and Belldandy turned in different directions. They're attack had been a diversion. They couldn't penetrate lighthawk wings, and they knew it. But it still couldn't stop blinding light, and deafening sounds. Peorth dashed for the lake, and Belldandy for the house, both hoping to create a gateway to Yggdrasil, Peorth by phone and Belldandy by water, and bring back help. But they hadn't counted on the effects of their own magic meeting the lighthawks wings, and the shockwave it created stunned the goddesses long enough for Mara to recover and blast the lake with a freezing spell, creating a foot thick ice sheet over the lake. The shockwave itself destroyed the house. Keiichi, Sasami, and Ayeka were unharmed in their bubbles, but everything else was flattened.

" That was a nice plan." Mara admitted, cleaning out her ear with her finger, trying to make the ringing go away.

" What did you say? I can't hear you very well!" Lufn screamed, cleaning out her ears, trying to get rid of the ringing.

" Shut up." Mara dismissed her, not that Lufn heard. " So what are you going to do now, Peorth? Belldandy is barely awake. She's used too much power to put up any more of a fight." It was true about Belldandy, she had risen unsteadily her feet, her eyelids sagged and she leaned heavily on Peorth. At any other time, she'd probably be asleep by now, after using so much power, but she forced herself awake to keep on fighting.

" Mara, I don't know why you still want to fight, but I can keep as long as I need to protect others." Belldandy wavered, but forced herself to stand on her own feet. " And if I can't, then I'll just have to let the ice creatures do it." She said, but Mara wasn't listening anymore. The ice creatures Belldandy had mentioned had already struck.

She had no idea how, but Belldandy had seen eight creatures rise from the frozen surface of the lake, as if growing from it. They were wiry creatures, almost like skeletons, made of icicles, cracked and sharp as razors at their ends. And they looked mean. Their skinny arms ended in skeletal fingers that almost resembled claws. Their flat faces, like a knight's armor helmet, was blank except for two holes where their eyes should be, that resembled blood red beads buried in their skulls.

Peorth and Belldandy didn't need to be told to get away from them.

Without a noise they launched themselves at the demons, arms out ready to slash Mara and Lufn to pieces. They shattered on the lighthawk wings but pieces made it through, cutting their face and bodies, like a thousand papercuts. The shattered ice fell to the ground. The pieces hit the ice below, and melted. The eight creatures were born again.

They jumped again at the demons, the same as before, with strategy or reason, but this time they were split, only two went after Lufn. But Mara and Lufn were more prepared this time. Lufn cast a powerful fire spell, melting one that jumped at her, and the other shattered against her lighthawk wings. But six went after Mara. She destroyed two in the air, three hit her wings, but one came in low, and grabbed her ankle. It's fingers cut into her leg, drawing blood. Mara kicked hard to get it off, sending it flying right at the goddesses.

They were halfway to the woods, but Belldandy was too tired, and she stumbled. Peorth grabbed her, but the ice creature landed just in front of them. It picked itself up, staring at them. Peorth rushed forward and punched it. It's head literally shattered, but it still slashed at her. Peorth leaped back to avoid it, but an explosion tore apart the deck below the creature.

" Get into the woods!" Ryoko's voice shouted, and Peorth grabbed Belldandy's weak form and ran away, into the woods. Peorth burst into a clearing, not far away but hidden from the lake. Peorth laid the barely conscious Belldandy against a tree, and a moment later the familiar sound of Ryoko teleporting in. Under her left arm she held a battered and unconscious Urd, and a drenched Mihoshi over her shoulder. She dropped the two to the ground with a 'thud' before nearly collapsing herself.

" Urd!" Belldandy said. Her eyes widend in shock as she saw her sister, and she tried to stand up.

" She's all right." Ryoko coughed, and fell to her knees, breathing heavily. " Just unconcious."

Ryoko looked like hell. Her face was bruised and cut, and her left eye was swollen. Her lip and her nose were bleeding a little, and she had bruises all over her arms, exposed by damage to her dress. Her hair was messed, and blackened in areas from electrical burns.

" We should be safe here for a little while. Those ice spirits I created should keep them busy for a little while." She cocked a wry smile at Peorth's confusion. " Never mentioned that, did I? I can summon evil spirits from anything." She abscently looked at her wrist. " I just can't control them." She sighed, and made her way weakly to a tree and leaned heavily on it. " But as long as we don't get near them, we should be fine. And they should keep fighting for a while"

" Thank you, Ryoko. We have a little time to plan and recover now." Belldandy said.

" We need to find a way back to Yggdrasil. It's the only way we an beat them." Peorth said flatly.

" Wha' happened?" Mihoshi mumbled, sitting up. " Oh hi everyone. Are we having a picnic?"

" No. Two demons blew up your ship, the house, beat up Belldandy, Urd, Ryoko, and I. Now they're hunting us." Peorth summarized. " And how about you?" She said without meaning it.

" My head hurts." Mihoshi said, rubbing a large bump. " Thanks for saving me, I think. I was worried I might be killed off for a minute. I know I'm not really well liked..."

" Of course." Peorth said, a little confused by Mihoshi's words. " But right now, we need to get away from here. If we can get closer to town we should be able to find a way to contact Ygg..." An angry howl cut her off.

" I don't know how you did that Peorth, but I will get you!" It was Mara, and she was pissed. " We just destroyed all your little puppets. Now come out you little bitch!"

" If she really wants it that bad..." Ryoko snarled. Her fist clenched, and she started to float away.

" Ryoko no!" Peorth grabbed her leg. " I want to shut her mouth as well, but we can't penetrate her defenses and we're in no shape to..." Ryoko sneered.

" When you first got here, all you could talk about was how great you were. ' I'm a goddess first class. I don't lose.' Now all you want to do is run away. I'm going to go shut her up for good. Are you coming or not?" She started to float away.

" No. I know enough to see when brute force won't work. Disgression is a key part of battle. Something is going on here and I don't know what...." But Ryoko just scoffed.

" She's right Ryoko. You can't beat them." A voice said. And Ryoko froze in mid air. And twisted to look at the familiar figure now standing behind her.

" Damn it Washu where have you been?" Ryoko said. Washu stood in the middle of the clearing, her face oddly dark. " I'm glad you finally decided to get off your butt and do something, but it's a little late. What have you been doing all this time?"

" Preparing. Of course," she emphasized. "My security system detected them coming miles away." She smiled proudly. "But it also detected their new power. Skuld and I have been preparing some new things, but they're not ready yet." She shook her head. " We need a little more time. If you can keep them busy for a while we should be able to put our plan into effect."

" Forget it. We should take them out now." Ryoko insisted. But Washu shook her head no.

" Ryoko." Washu said quietly. " In case you didn't recognize those blue blades around Mara, and Lufn, they were lighthawk wings." Ryoko's eyes widened in recognition. " I'm still trying to find out how, but even without them they're still extremely powerful. You won't stand a chance against them. And I can't help you, because I'm not really here." She stuck her arm into a nearby tree, and it passed through easily. " I'm just a hologram."

" If we can't beat them, could you take us to your lab? At least we could..." Peorth tried to say, but Washu cut her off.

" Get back to Yggdrasil and get help? Sorry, that won't work. To keep our friends from counquering the world should we fail, I've dragged the area into a local hyperspace junction. Skuld thinks this has had the unfortunate consequence of cutting us off from Yggdrasil. But like I said, I came up with a genius plan to stop them. Right now, get to Funaho, that will help some."

" And what do we do there?" Ryoko asked.

" Wait for Tenchi, of course."

" I don't know how you did that Peorth, but I will get you for that!" It was Mara, and she was pissed. " We just destroyed all your little puppets. Now come out you little bitch!" Mara screamed from a lake shore.

" Mara, I don't mean too... We should... I don't wanna die."

" What is it now, Lufn." Mara didn't even turn to look at her. " Honestly I thought you had such potential to be a great, but all you do is whine."

" But we already beat them." Lufn was frantic. " You said that's just what you wanted. But now we're not stopping. Sooner or later they're boss is going to find out about this. And they're going to be pretty mad."

" Don't worry about it." Mara dismissed her. " Once we conquer the Earth, the demon tribe will have to come help us. No one's ever been able to manage it before; a gain like that they'll have to come to our defense. Yggdrasil won't dare attack an entire planet full of demons. It's brilliant, and the best part is, I will get to rule as queen!" She paused to laugh manically for a few moments, then as an afterthought added. " And you can do something too."

" Ummm. Okay. I get that." Lufn nodded blankly. No one said anything for about 30 seconds. " So why don't we, you know, go conquer the Earth?"

" Oh that. I just like beating up Goddessess. You can only get your butt kicked so many times before you just like causing people pain. " And she smiled sadistically. Just then a gravity wave struck against their light hawk wings, and dispersed against it. " I guess someone is feeling better. Prepare to die, Peorth!" She shouted as a war cry, heading to where the blast came from; The sacred tree of the Masaki shrine, Funaho.

" Here she comes. Are our defenses in place?" Ryoko shouted up the branches of Funaho, laying prone and staring off into the distance, as they prepared for Mara's arrival.

" We don't have any." Peorth replied. "Unless you mean Mihoshi. Urd's still unconscious and Belldandy just fell asleep." They were hidden a little bit off to the side, in the dense brush. Peorth had used the very last of her power to help heal Ryoko. It hadn't helped much, but there wasn't much else she could do. Belldanady had fallen asleep just before Washu arrived. Ryoko had placed her with her sister, against a slight rock ledge that would offer them a little protection once the battle started. Mihoshi was being helpful as ever.

" I hope Yukinojo gets brought back. I know he's just a minor character, but I really liked him." Ryoko could only shake her head in exhaustion.

" All right, Peorth, show yourself and die." Mara said, haughtily, as she flew onto the area. Lufn was close behind. She seemed to think it was clever. Peorth wasn't stupid enough to move, and Ryoko kept silent too, with a firm grip keeping Mihoshi's mouth closed.

From her branch, Peorth prepared for whatever Mara was going to do, and not looking forward to it. Her face was unusually lined. She was too tired and battered, she couldn't put up too much of a fight. Whatever Washu was planning, she'd better do it fast. Real fast, because Mara was preparing an extremely powerful fire spell; she was going to set the entire area ablaze and smoke them out.

"Peooooorth. One last chance." Mara shouted. But Peorth wasn't moving from her hiding spot. Mara shrugged, like it couldn't be helped, and cocked her hand back, the red energy swirling in her palm. It shot out without warning, violently rocketing towards the branches. It exploded short, hitting a blue wall just inches from the tree. The wall suddenly curved, making a dish directing the explosion back out.

Mara was stunned, so stunned she was almost got caught up in the blast's reflection. Lufn was to slow, but the spell hit the lighthawk wings harmlessly. Mara immediately twisted in the air to see what happened, but a white streak shot from the ground. It was a person, but moving to fast to see who. A leg shot out in a quick kick, met the lighthawk wing and pushed off, flew back wards into the tree, inches from Peorths head, and landed against the trunk of the tree, rebounding straight at Mara. A sweeping kick went wide over her head, but he twisted in the air, turning upside down.

Two quick punches to the chest were blocked again by blue wings, and an overhead kick met the third. But his other leg had cocked like a gun, and shot out the moment all three made impact, and passed the wings heading straight into her face. Like stepping off, he propelled himself back to the ground. He flipped and landed gently on his feet.

Katsuhito Masaki calmly readjusted his glasses with one hand, the other neatly placed in his pocket.

" I'm sorry ladies, but as the keeper of the shrine, I can't let destroy that tree." He said calmly, putting his other hand into his pocket. " I don't mean to be difficult. It's just that tree has a certain sentimental value, being the thing that's kept me alive for over 700 years. Now I'm afraid I must ask you two to leave. You're being quite disruptive." He scolded.

Mara rubbed the dirt from Yosho's sandal off her face, and glared at him. Her lips went back exposing her teeth in a snarl. It took her a few moments to final get her shock and anger under control.

" All right. Let's get out of here." Unfortunately, in those few moments Lufn spoke first. Lufn nodded readily in agreement as she spoke. She grabbed Mara's arm quickly shot away until they were just a distant speck.

" Well, that's a surprise." Yosho watched them go, an eyebrow raised slightly.

" That was anticlimactic." Mihoshi said, crawling out from beneath the brush. She stretched a little, yawning. " I'm going to go take a nap. Wake me when the next chapter starts." She started back towards the house. Peorth got to the ground and watched her go.

" Chapter..." Ryoko rolled her eyes at Mihoshi's back. " I think that crash knocked something loose."

" I don't think it's over yet" Peorth said, coming down. ". Remember what Washu said about taking the area out of the universe. They can't leave. They can only come back here." It was then that a new star appeared in the still bright sky. A shooting star coming right at them.

" Damn Washu." Ryoko said, diving forward and knocking Mihoshi to safety. Yosho hopped backwards, just missing Lufn as she crashed back to Earth.

" You dried up monkey, I'll get you for that." Mara said, through gritted teeth, as she summoned a powerful lightning bolt. Thunder sounded directly above and lightning crashed harmlessly against a blowing blue shield in front of Yosho.

" Lighthawk wings are strange things to master. You can create three, but you can barely use them at all..." he said, withdrawing a hand from his pants pocket, and with it, Tenchi-Ken. He lightly tossed it up and down, taunting her with a grin as she realized it wasn't on her belt. " I can only create one, and only with the help of my tree. But I use it well enough for some creative pick-pocketing." With a snap-hiss, the blade formed and he lauched himself at Mara. He thrust the sword straight ahead, but Mara's lighthawk wings blocked it. He used his momentum as the sword was knocked aside to launch a hooking kick straight at Mara's head, but it was blocked too. His punch to her stomach though, made it through. It made a crash as it hit, so loud even Peorth and Mihoshi, hidden in the brush again, heard it like an explosion.

Mara reeled in the air, gasping for breath. But Ryoko was suddenly behind her, preparing a powerful overhead chop with her sword. She swung, but it bounced off.

" Damn it!" Ryoko howled, flying back and raining energy on Mara, but nothing would get through.

" Ryoko, retreat for now. I can hit her because I have a trick." Yosho shouted, launching himself into the air for another strike. But Ryoko would not retreat. She continued her blitz of punches, slashes, and energy blasts on Mara as they dueled in the air.

Not even Yosho noticed the small red ball flying towards the three of them, as they met in the air. It crashed against Mara and exploded. Mara's wings protected her, but Yosho and Ryoko were roughly thrown away.

" Mara we have to get out of here. Things are getting out of hand. The old guy might be Jurain royal family I didn't know about, if he can use the key. Tsunami could still show up!" Lufn shot through the air, and stopped just in front o f Mara. She grabbed Mara's arm and tried to pull her off. But Mara wasn't budging. She forced herself free and charged towards Yosho and Ryoko, now on the ground.

But she was cut off suddenly. A dozen streaks of energy shot in front of her, and she had to fly aside. She could barely hear over the sounds of the energy, a sound almost like "Meowrrrrrr"

On the bridge of the spaceship Ryo-oh-ki, Tenchi watched as a dozen more blasts shot away, this time targeted directly at Mara and Lufn. He grimaced as he recognized the lighthawk wings, which sprang up to block the blasts.

He'd come home, only to find his house in ruins. The only things left standing were the bubbles imprisoning Ayeka, Sasami, and Keiichi. They couldn't tell him anything, since no sound would make it through the bubbles, but they kept making frantic gestures towards the sacred tree. Phil, their new multi-limbed manservant, had told him everything else he needed to know.

" Ryo-oh-ki, keep firing at them, and teleport everyone up here." Tenchi ordered. The spaceship miya'd approval, and within moments Yosho, Ryoko, Peorth, Mihoshi, and the still unconscious Belldandy and Urd were with him.

" Good going Ryo-oh-ki." Ryoko praised, dusting herself off. Peorth looked around, not quite understanding what was happening. " Let's hit 'em with everything we have." Tenchi nodded.

" I'll teleport down with everyone who can still fight and we'll..."

" Ryo-oh-ki, back to the house." Tenchi and Ryoko jumped suddenly as Washu's voice shouted from behind them all. They turned to see her smiling wickedly. " We'll rest and regroup while I tell you my plan. Skuld and I can handle them for a litlle."

Mara watched the spaceship fall away. She huffed, taking in more air. This entire battle had been exhausting, even with the lighthawk wings and the power boost from the gems. But she knew she could still win. The old man was the only one who could land a blow against her. She wasn't sure how just yet, but she'd be more careful from now on. She dashed after the spaceship. About five feet until she hit a wall.

" You're not going anywhere, Mara. Our super electron forcefield will hold you." A brand new voice called. Mara's mouth twinged, as she recognized it. Skuld stood below. She was barely recognizable, since she was dressed in hi-tech battle armor, head to toe. Next to her was another young girl. She was dressed in only shorts and a t-shirt, but her long red hair came almost to the ground. Back to back, they struck a pose. " You're reign of terror will be brought to an end right now by ... Washu and Skuld's super science squad!"

The wind whistled by; for the moment, no one moved.

" Skuld, maybe I should choose our name next time." The redhead nudged Skuld gently on the shoulder. Above, Mara shook her head.

" I don't have time for kids. Go away, Skuld, and take your friend with you." Mara scoffed, and flyed away. She slammed into the wall again. She was trying to figure out how to get through it when Lufn suddenly crashed into her, and they fell to the ground.

" Skuld Hyperbomb attack!" A ten meter sphere turned bright orange as a small nuke exploded right where Mara had been.

" Washu Proton Cannon!" The two demons dived for away from the spot they'd been in as a huge blast carved a mini canyon in the ground. The blast stopped after a moment, but Mara could still feel the heat radiating, like inside an oven. She wanted to believe that the lighthawk wings could stop even something like that, but the pain from Yosho's attacks reminded her that they were not impenetrable.

Washu smiled as she effortlessly held the giant gun with one hand, off to the side.

" Now don't go easy on us just cause we're little girls." She grinned. " Skuld, lets use the mecha!" By her side, Skuld's eyes lit up with glee. She pulled a small device from her pocket, and punched in a few buttons.

" Activate, Super Robot Mjolnir!"

" To answer your question, I'm the hologram again. But that's not important. I have everything I need to know about her plans." Standing in the wreckage of the house. The remains of Tenchi's bed had been dug out of the wreckage, and Urd and Belldandy put on it. Everyone else had found a piece of rubble to call a chair. Phil served refreshments, mostly water since the kitchen had been destroyed.

" Lighthawk wings are almost impenetrable to any thing known to modern science." The hologram shimmered, and she was dressed as a professor, complete with blackboards with diagrams of all the important topics. " So far, almost all attacks have been useless against them. Our only advantage is that they don't seem to use them well. Their skills are not up to Tenchi's levels. Their actions seem more like reactions then calculated moves. They were even overwhelmed by Ryoko's ice monsters, and one actually connected with Mara." The 'black board' was now playing a record of Mara's fight, and they could clearly see one grab Mara's ankle.

" So that means..." Mihoshi speculated. " If we all try at the same time, we might be able to steal Mara's shoes?"

" I'm glad I'm a hologram. Computers have infinite patience." Washugram said. " Probably not. They seem to have learned enough by now to prevent this sort of thing. We have only one other option." The blackboard began showing Yosho's fight with Mara. There were still close-ups of Yosho's attacks that connected. " Washu's prelinary assessment of lighthawk wings has been confirmed thanks to Yosho. It seems something of similar power and energy type of can disrupt lighthawk wings. And the only thing that similar to a light hawk wing, is another lighthawk wing. We could attempt to separate them, and let Tenchi negate her wings while we focus our attacks on her." The Washugram gave a confident smile. " But I can think of a better way."

" Skuld super robot Punch!" Mjolnir's arm shot Mazinger Z syle at Mara. But moments before impact it broke into dozens of pieces, but passed harmlessly through mara and her lighthawk wings. Mara jerked around to look at them, but they were gone.

" An illusion!" She said, and the true arm crashed against the wings. Lufn launched a force bolt against Mjolnir leg, and knocked it off balance, but Skuld activated it's rockets, and plowed into them. The force was enough to drive them back.

Washu, now wearing a jetpack and armor of her own, flew up high and fired off more shots from her Proton Cannon, driving them off the ground. Skuld fired off a volley from her Vulcan cannons, but the demons dodged. Mara summoned a thick fog magically, in hopes of blinding the Skuld, but she turned on the mecha's infrared sensors. She pulled out her beam saber and started slashing wildly at them.

" Skuld," Washu's image appeared on her cockpit monitor. " Try and force them closer the ground, I set up gravity traps."

" Right, Washu." Skuld smiled gleefully, popping open cover to a button she hadn't used yet. " Now I get to try out my flamethrowers!" She sent a wave of flame over their heads, and they flew down out of it's way, right into the powerful gravitational field on the ground, and stuck like glue. Skuld jammed the control sticks forward, going to step on them.

" This is for Belldandy. And Urd. Maybe Keiichi!" She shouted stomping on them, but their wings wouldn't break. " Maybe not Keiichi but still!"

" Skuld, back off." It was washu again. " We just need to exhaust them. We can't penetrate their wings. We wait for Tenchi and the others." Skuld let another blast of her flamethrower.

" We can take them, Washu. We have giant robots!" Skuld gave them both a swift Skuld super robot kick. But before it connected, Mara got off a spell, rewriting the super robots physical algorithms and rearranging the molecules into Jello. The gelatin robot fell over, splattering everywhere. By now they'd demolished Washu's gravity traps. Mara pointed Lufn towards Skuld, now trapped inside Squishy green cockpit. Mara herself went after Washu. She cast a vicious ice spell, that took the fog and water vapor in the air, condensed it into icy spikes and shot them at Washu. But Washu had her own forcefield, and the broke apart, tiny pieces tossed everywhere. Washu opened her mouth and caught a small, snowflake like piece on her tongue. Then whipped her proton cannon at Mara. It's plasma core overloaded in a huge fireball, but didn't hurt Mara. Mara blasted forward throught the light and smoke to find... nothing. She could see no one. Below, Lufn crawled her way through the goo to the young goddess. Eventually, she got fed up with the struggle, and just blew it apart. Skuld was literally hurled into the air. Lufn reached out and grabbed her as she fell.

" Aren't you a little old to be playing with dollies, Lufn?" Skuld heckled, from about fifty feet away.

" She learned that one from me." Washu said proudly, arm hanging around Skulds shoulder. " I'm so proud." Washu jokingly wiped away a tear. " But fortunately our part is finished. Come on out Lord Tenchi." Peorth, who had arrived with everyone silently a few minutes before hand, gave Tenchi a hard shove out of the underbrush. " Go get em." Washu said, dragging Skuld away.

Tenchi was in his black and brown battle garb. He stood frozen on the path, not quite sure what to do. The demons, exhausted from their battle, were waiting for Tenchi to make the first move. Tenchi withdrew Tenchi-ken, and held it ready, as Skuld pulled out a sort of joystick

" I hate my life." He said quietly to no one, then charged at them. He drove a quick lunge at Lufn, which she dodged simply by flying upwards, and out of his reach. But Tenchi also flew up, as the Washu-Skuld super jetpack Ver 2.6 did it's job perfectly, shooting him straight at the escaping Lufn. On the sidelines, and out of sight, Skuld jammed on the controlling joysticks. A little too perfect, because they collided in midair. Lufn was protected byher lighthawk wings, but Tenchi was going to have a bruise. Skuld quickly maneuvered Tenchi back around for another pass at the stunned devil, but Mara quickly snatched her out of the way. Not that Tenchi really posed much of a threat. The jetpack was jerking and twisting him around too much, and he could barely control his swings. But Skuld kept him hot on their trail, whether he liked it or not.

That was the plan after all. It had been Washu's decision, based on her study of Tenchi's lighthawk wings. Tenchi didn't have the control yet to summon them by himself. The only way to bring them out was to put him a situation of high emotion or a threat to his life. It had been decided that it was easier to simply suicidally throw him at Mara and Lufn again and again until they tried to vaporize him, and everyone else was not to get in the way.

" Prepare to die, evil ones!" Tenchi shouted, without even trying. Literally. Apparently they'd hijacked his ability to speak somehow, too. " For what you've done to my friends, I will make you die a thousand times!"

" Would it help if we said we're sorry?" Lufn said, diving out of the way of Tenchi's wild swings.

" It doesn't matter, I will drink wine from your skulls before the day is out!" Tenchi heard himself shout. His only thought was that that was just disgusting.

" Would it help me if I said I were sorry and this was all Mara's idea?"

" We have to stay focused. Don't show weakness!" Mara swore at her. She summoned up an icy blast that struck Tenchi right in the face as he dived towards her. Apparently it wasn't enough to activate his lighthawk wings, just cause frost bite. He wiped some frost out of his eyes, he noticed something. Mara wasn't moving this time. Tenchi was going to go straight into her lighthawk wings.

That was just enough to summon his own. Mara didn't even have time to recognize them as she and Tenchi collided. They're lighthawk wings cancelled each other out, and Tenchi smashed straight into her stomach. Tenchi's head reeled for a few seconds, and when he recovered, he saw he was face to with Mara.

" erm.. Hello." Was all he could muster, and this time it was really him. What was not him was the following " I finally have you at my mercy, wench! I'll ravage your womanly body." Mara's mouth ticked up just once in fury, then she thrashed her arm free and threw a quick jab at him. It went straight through Tenchi's head.

Because Ryoko had teleported him away.

Off to the side, Ryoko stood holding Tenchi by the collar of his shirt. Protected by six light hawk wings; Tenchi's... and hers. Her wounds were healed thanks in small part to Peorth's remaining magics and Washu's technology.

" How did you..." Mara stared, astonished. Ryoko's eye twitched slightly.

" Washu and I are going to have a talk after I finish with you." She growled. Tenchi had gotten to his feet and taken off the jet pack.

" Would it help if I said I was sorry and it was all Lufn's idea?"

" Oh you ing !" Lufn shouted from her hiding place high in a nearby tree. Then quickly shut up as she realized she she'd given herself away. Tenchi threw a quick look her way but Ryoko didn't spare her a glance.

" Not really." She answered Mara flatly. She rushed forward, raising her fist to strike. Mara cast a quick spell that bounced off her wing and moments later they're wings met, in a flash of light turning transparent and Ryoko punched Mara with a right hook that knocked her down. Ryoko calmly leaned over and picked her back up.

" I owe you for before." Ryoko opened her palm her other hand, and energy began coalescing in her palm. " This won't hurt as much as being struck by lightning a dozen times, but..." She couldn't finish because Lufn's fist hit her in the jaw at that moment. When she came too moments later on the ground, about fifty feet away, the first thing she saw was Washu looking down at her.

" It should have gone without saying..." Washu said with a slight smile. "that even though you can disable her lighthawk wings, they're still receiveing a HUGE powerup from the gems. And since they're naturally stronger then you... well, even you can see where I'm going." Ryoko scowled and pushed her away and went back to the fight..

Lufn had realized the only way she was getting out of this in one piece was with Mara's help, so she'd come out of hiding to protect her. Right now they were trying to run, but Tenchi, with the help of Skuld, Mihoshi, and Peorth. Tenchi cancelled Mara's wings and slashed at her with Tenchi-ken. Mara dodged backwards but got shot in the back by Mihoshi's pistol. Tenchi immediately turned aside and attacked Lufn while Peorth and Mihoshi dived, trying to get the gem off her wrist.

Ryoko picked her up, and threw her at Lufn. The other demon had her shields down by Tenchi, so Mara crashed into her with the force of a car accident. The two rolled along the ground together before eventually settling.

" You can't win." Tenchi said fiercely, setting the sword in a preparation stance. " Just give us those gems back and we'll consider the fight over."

" Surrender," Peorth said, sounding exhausted but also unyielding. "and I'll ask Yggdrasil to go easy on you, though it may pain me not to see you punished thoroughly." The two demons realized they had little choice. Tenchi held his sword ready, eye's not so much as blinking off them while his and the nearby Ryoko's lighthawk wings gave the area an eerie glow. Mihoshi held her GP pistol steady, as did Skuld with her Washu-Skuld tech repeating beam chain gun™. Peorth watched them closely for any signs they might try to use magic, and Washu typed eagerly at her computer, grinning in a way to make her seem most dangerous of all, while Yosho sat against Funaho, taking in the entire scene serenely, but ready to jump in should he be needed.

" We surrender!" Lufn didn't even hesitate. Mara clamped a hand over her mouth, but from her defeated look, she couldn't disagree.

" All righ. Lets negotiate terms." She said, diplomatically.

" You give us the gems, and we let you keep the ability to walk the rest of your lives." Ryoko said, and no one seemed to disagaree. Mara sighed and took the gem off her wrist, then reached over and took Lufn's off too. But as she held them out, the ground beneath them suddenly vanished into eternity, and they fell like a rock into seeming nothingness.

" What the hell?" Ryoko shouted, dashing to were they'd been, she began blowing huge chunks out of the ground, as if to reveal them hiding somewhere. " Where'd they go?"

" I'm not reading them anywhere in the area." Mihoshi immediately checked her watch/sensor thing, looking for any sign of them. " Funny, I thought the author would come up with something cleverer then this."

" You've got to be reading that wrong." Ryoko countered. " Wait? Author?" But she didn't really want to think about it.

" But miss Washu, you said you put up some kind of field..." Tenchi switched off his sword, and lowered his guard.

" That's right!" Skuld replied. " The dimensional shift we created should have stopped anything from going in or out. There's no way they could have left."

" Actually, I don't know about that." Washu tapped at her computer. " I'm not picking anything up either. They could have used magic of some kind. I may be the greatest scientist in the universe, but I don't know a lot about magic. They could have used it to do something I couldn't have expected. Or they could have had outside help..."

" No, I helped create the magic protection protocols, and they were perfect..." Skuld said. Peorth stopped her.

" Let it go, chere'." Peorth said, as she went to her knees, shaking from exhaustion. " They're gone, and I don't think they will come back here for some time. And all of Yggdrasil will be looking for them after this. I'll make sure of it."

" But they still have my gems." Ryoko said.

" Maybe." Washu said, standing up and letting her computer dissapear. " But we can't do much about that right now. We should rest while we can, and check on Belldandy, and Urd. Ayeka, Sasami, and Keiichi are probably free now too."

" Washu's right." Tenchi said. By now the adrenaline was wearing off, and he was starting to hurt a little bit, and feel his own exhaustion. " We should rest now." And then added quietly "Because God knows what's happening tomorrow." And then rubbing his bruises. " I could really use a trip to the onsen."

And without too much more complaining, they accepted today's draw, and headed home. Washu was the last to leave though, quietly watching everyone else go. She smiled, and let out an exhausted sigh.

" I guess it can't be that much longer now."

Endnote – There you have it. Please R/R, send comments to I wanted to put in a small thing cleaning up a few loose ends and revealing the fate of Mara and Lufn. They dissaparead quicker then I wanted them too, but I just wanted to finish this. The next chapter will be a short one, cleaning up a few things for when we get to the REAL next chapter, in which things happen. Big time. I'm really looking forward to it.


	16. Chapter 5D: Knock Knock

Tenchi Muyo! Yggdrasil

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters. I wish I did, then I'd have a crap load

of money and be hailed as a genius, but I don't, so I'm not. Suing me would only waste

your time and earn you back 1/100th of your legal fees, so please don't.

Note: TO my readers... WHY THE HELL weren't you telling me my fic was so messed up? I admit I should have double checked it much sooner, but its a huge mess.

I would have thought someone might have sent me an email ) just to tell me it was completly unreadable.

Tenchi Muyo! Yggdrasil Chapter 5D - Knock knock

Belldandy quietly opened the door to Washu's lab. " Miss Washu?" Leaning in carefully, she looked back and forth. Not seeing her, she took a few stops inside. She paused for a moment to stare in wonder at the vast expanse before her.

" Excuse me, Miss Washu? Are you here." She said loudly, but in the lab it was barely an echo. Still, it was too loud for some people. In a chair a dozen feet away, something seemed to stir. The overstuffed chair, facing a small pool shook a little, and a small leg appeared.

" Not so loud, please." Washu stumbled away from the chair, to her computer, to summon a glass of water. " I had a little too much to drink last night." She examined her reflection in the monitor, noting in particular the bloodshot eyes. " I love being a little kid, but kids sure can't handle their alcohol."

" Oh, I'm sorry, I should have realized." Belldandy approached the youngster, and put a hand on her shoulder. " I could heal you with my magic." She offered. Washu turned around, grinning.

" Heh. I could do that too." Washu turned the chair around, and sat down, drinking some water. " I think sometimes it's nice to feel consequences like this. I don't regret it." She leaned over and tapped a few buttons on her computer, and a portal opened, spilling an icepack onto her lap. Content, she held it to her forehead. " We defeated two seriously powerful devils yesterday. We deserved to have a little fun." Putting it down, she sat up and looked seriously at Belldandy. " Now, what can I help you with?"

A few minutes later, Skuld tossed open the door and slammed it closed, causing Washu to flinch slightly; the genius scientist was still nursing a hangover.

" What are we going to do today, Washu?" Skuld approached and sat down, looking up expectantly at her.

" The same thing we do every knight, Skuld. Try and take over the world." Washu grinned tiredly, taking a few deep breaths. Skuld laughed, not realizing she wasn't entirely joking.

" Could you teach me how to create intra-special wormholes? Or the science of metasonic waves? Maybe you could help me with this proton cannon I created; I can't figure out how to generate the correct flux capacity. I'm sure with your help I could generate a pulse capable of leveling a mountain. Mara wouldn't stand a chance if we had something like that!" Skuld grew ever more excited as she talked about new sciences. Washu said nothing for a few moments, sitting and watching Skuld, with a quiet smile.

" Skuld. I can't teach you anymore." Washu said, wearing a friendly smile. It took a moment for it to sink in for the young goddess.

" But why not? I was having fun and it seemed like you were too, and there's still so much you can teach me. If you want me to work harder…"

" Even at the science academy, I don't think I've ever had a student as eager as you, Skuld." Washu reassured her. She shifted in her chair. " I think you have the wrong idea. I've had fun, but I can't take the time to be your teacher permanently. I have my own projects I need to work on. And it takes too much time to be your mentor. I'm sorry Skuld." Skuld whined and cried and pleaded, but in the end she had no choice, storming out of the lab extremely upset, screaming, " I hate you." As the door closed, a simple spell was undone, revealing Belldandy where she had stood when Skuld had interrupted. She looked so sad watching Skuld leave.

" Thank you so much, Miss Washu. I'm sorry I had to ask that of you. I know how close you two were becoming. I'm glad you understand it had to be done." Belldandy looked painfully towards the door. " Please understand that whatever she may say, I'm sure she's not angry. Just hurt." She clasped her hand together, and giving a courteous bow. " But no matter how it may hurt to see Skuld like that, it is my duty as her sister and a goddess first class to make sure she becomes all that is capable of. As long as she relies on technology, she will never the goddess I know she can be." Washu thought for a moment.

" That's not why I did it." She said finally, turning to look at something on her computer. " Just like anyone Skuld should be able to determine the way her own life goes. If that's science instead of magic, it really doesn't matter to me." But she stopped typing, smiling instead at something unseen. " But right now I think she too young. She needs to be with her sisters. That's the most important thing for families. If I hadn't stopped this, there would have been trouble when it came time to for you to leave. I would have liked to do it more gently, but at least she's angry at me, and not you." She turned and smiled at Belldandy. " So don't feel bad. I was going to do something like this anyway."

" It's very kind of you to say that, Miss Washu. But I don't think that's true. The last part, anyway." Belldandy said, raising her head to look at Washu. Washu wore a guilty smile as their eyes met.

" I guess I'm not a good a liar as I thought. Or maybe it's just you. But I'm glad I could help." Belldandy just smiled, thanked her again, and stood up to leave. " But if you want to make it up to me, would you mind telling Tenchi I need to see him about something important. And maybe try and soothe Ryoko a little bit. She's kind of upset over… Something I did earlier." Belldandy nodded, "Of course, Miss Washu', and left silently. Alone, Washu sighed, turning back to her computers, locking the door with a few quick keystrokes. " I suppose I should get to work now." She tapped a few buttons, but before she could get anything done, there was another knock at the door.

" Excuse me, miss Washu. It's me, Mihoshi. I need to ask you something important." The door popped open and Mihoshi peeked in. Washu threw an annoyed glance at the door system, which still blinked 'locked'.

" Sure Mihoshi, what can I do for you?" Washu spun around in her chair, watching her with a tired smile. Mihoshi clasped her hands together in a respectful bow.

" It's about Yukinojo. He was destroyed when I crashed and I was really hoping you could help rebuild him. I realize it must be difficult since he was completely destroyed and you must be really busy but I would be really glad and eternally in your debt if you could do something." Mihoshi said, tears starting to stream down her face.

" Sure." Washu smiled, helpless against Mihoshi. " I could probably find the time to do something like that." Mihoshi leaped at Washu and threw her arms around her.

" Oh thank you thank you thank you." She stepped back and wiped the tears away. " I was so afraid. I knew Yukinojo wasn't everyone's favorite character. I was almost sure the writer would simply let him be destroyed so he didn't have to do anything with him." Mihoshi turned around, and started away. Washu blinked a few times.

" Writer? Mihoshi, what exactly…" Washu said, vaguely remembering Mihoshi talking this way earlier, before she'd gotten herself plastered. But something else had already distracted Mihoshi. A small, carved box on a pedestal. Washu was on her feet running to her the instant she saw it.

" Mihoshi put that down! That's a deus Ex machina! You never know exactly what it's going to do!" But it was too late. Mihoshi had turned it over to look at the bottom, but as she did it popped open and a boxing glove attached to a spring burst out and smashed into her face. She dropped the box and fell to the ground, holding a hand to her bleeding nose. Washu picked the box up, with the glove already vanished, and put it back on the pedestal.

" Sorry about that. Those things are unpredictable." Washu pulled a small scanner out of a subspace portal, running it over Mihoshi several times. " But they're useful in the right situations, and you seem all right. So what were you talking about, Miss Mihoshi?" Mihoshi shook her head, trying to clear her mind.

" I don't remember… Oh no! I must have amnesia!"

DUN DUN DUNNNNNNNN!

" Tenchi said he wanted to see you." Washu lied, deadpan. Mihoshi lit up.

" Oh wonderful. Let me go see what he wants." She said, rushing out the door. " Thanks again Miss Washu!"

" Memories fine." Washu shrugged, walking back to her computer. She ran a quick diagnostic on the lock, to make sure it was working, and all things came back positive. She tested it, clicking it on/off to make sure it was working properly, and it seemed to be. On, off, on, off, on, off… and the door popped open before the door could lock again.

The goddess Peorth walked in without a word, straight up to Washu. Looking her straight in the eye, she said unflinchingly

" Are you Ryoko's mother?" Her face was unemotional, but set in stone. Washu's mouth twisted in a surprised grin.

" Me? Ryoko's mother?" Washu laughed. Hard. Curling up in a ball in the chair " No, hell no! I wouldn't even want to be the mother to that loud, obnoxious, drunk." She shook her head, wiping away tears. " I can't think of anything closer to hell then that. Who gave you that idea?"

" Well," Peorth said, quietly. She clasped her hands behind her back, and continued. " We've asked everyone, and no one seemed to know. Urd even got her drunk at the party last night, and asked Ryoko. She said she didn't even know."

" So by some strange process of elimination, that makes me Ryoko's mother." Washu raised an eyebrow, Spock-like. Craned her head, giving the goddess a strange look. " I'm just not seeing it."

" Then we asked about Ryo-oh-ki." Peorth said, and Washu's smile fell a little. " And everyone we asked claimed you created Ryo-oh-ki, from something called a Mass. And they also say Ryoko and Ryo-oh-ki have been together since Ryoko's creation." Washu didn't even flinch. Immediately putting on a professor like demeanor, she countered.  
" Oh, I certainly created Ryo-oh-ki, with a former student of mine named Kagato. I'm not sure how Ryoko got a hold of her."

" At the party, Lufn put a love potion in the punch that only effected goddesses. Or their children." Peorth said, this time softer, in tone and in manner as she looked kindly at Washu. She nearly cursed. " Plus we asked Mihoshi." Washu Chuckled softly.

" Mihoshi, who left for her patrols early before I started mind wiping people." Washu sat back in her chair, sighing in frustration, but also a little relief. " Damn."

" So then you are Lady Washu, Sister of Holy tsunami and Tokimi?" Peorth's whole manner changed suddenly. She looked at Washu with wonder, which looked wholly out of place on a goddess. Her eyes were wide, and her voice held a quiet hope that this wasn't all a dream. It seemed surreal in comparison to arrogant nature.

" Yeah, that's me." She smiled, finding something in what Peorth just said a little funny. " Those fun two are my sisters." Peorth was suddenly on her knees, kneeling before Washu.

" My lady."

" Please don't." Washu sighed, a little embarrassed. Looking down at her from her chair, almost seeming a throne with Peorth on her knees before her.

" I've never… never met one of the three. I've always envied Belldandy's time on Jurai with Tsunami," Peorth admitted, climbing back to her feet. " It's just such an honor…" She was cut off a loud crash. She whipped around to see La Rose Magnifique, her angel, punting a small tentacled robot into the horizon. Both turned around to glare at Washu.

" Sorry. I just had to try." Washu's hand moved away from the control panel, smiling sweetly. " I like my privacy, that's all." Peorth nodded, and her angel disappeared, but not before sticking her tongue out at Washu, who ignored it. " Since the memory erasure didn't work out, I'm going to have to ask you not to mention the 'goddess' thing to anyone else. Who already knows?"

" Belldandy knows about the potions effects on Ryoko, but it's mostly been Urd and myself doing this." Peorth said, drawing a strange 'ooooooh sexy' look from Washu. Peorth stiffened. " Because Belldandy was too busy with other things and Skuld was too busy helping you. Not because of any feelings for each other." She growled.

" Temper temper. You speak such to your goddess?" She said, with a wry grin, and Peorth suddenly straightened, and bowed in apology.

" I'm sorry, my lady. I forgot myself." Peorth bowed again and again, while Washu couldn't help herself, chuckling a bit.

" Oh stop it. I don't mind. I get much worse from my daughter." She said pleasantly acknowledging her motherhood status again. " If it's no problem would you mind not mentioning this to anyone else? Even Tenchi and Ryoko don't know my little secret."

" Oh, I see." Peorth nodded, " That explains a few things." Washu shrugged, and spun around in her chair to face her computer.

" I wouldn't know. I don't mean to be terse, but I've answered your questions, even though I didn't want to, and there are SOME things I need to get done today, and I do have a slight headache, so would you mind leaving?" Washu said, clicking a few keys, as she began to work. After a few moments, she realized Peorth wasn't moving. " Something else?

" Lady Tokimi…" Peorth asked, lowering her head reverently. Washu sighed, and turned to face her again. " She disappeared millennia ago, and there are not even rumors of what she is doing."

" Should have expected that question." Washu sighed. " Tokimi and I haven't talked in… well, a long time. I don't really know what she's been up too lately. But," She grinned. " I know she's well. She sent an old colleague of mine to say hello just a little while back. Wasn't that nice of her?" She smiled sweetly.

" Yes, it was. I'm glad to hear she is all right. Thank you, Lady Washu." Peorth reverenced again with a satisfied smile. " As per your wish, I won't I won't tell anyone." She hesitated. " Well, maybe Urd. She'll want to know what I learned, and she already knows most of it."

" I understand. Lovers can't be keeping secrets, after all." Washu chided. Peorth flinched, but continued.

" And maybe send an instant message to everyone in Yggdrasil if you mention that again. But thank you for your time, my lady." She curtsied a final time, and walked a few more steps towards the door before turning around again. " One more question…"

" I really am kind of busy." Washu sighed, sitting back in her chair, digging in.

" It's short. About Mara and Lufn…"  
" I had nothing to do with their disappearance." Washu said.

" Merde. It was probably Hild, then. Thank you." She curtsied a final time, and left. Washu jabbed at the lock button the moment the door clicked shut. She flicked a couple of switches.

" It won't be long at all, now." Washu said quietly, shaking her head sadly. But she didn't let it affect her too long. " So sorry to…" She said, as a small section of the floor rose up. Until someone knocked at the door. " Go away. I'm busy."

" Umm… All right little Washu, but Belldandy said you wanted to see me." Tenchi's voice carried through the door. It sounded a bit more then relieved. Washu stabbed the button again, and the floor went back to normal.

" Just give me a moment, Tenchi." Once everything was back to normal, she unlocked the door.

Tenchi opened the door carefully, peering in every direction for anything suspicious. Confident a tentacled robot or the like wouldn't swoop down on him and tie him up. He saw nothing though, and he stepped into Washu's lab.

" Don't worry Tenchi, I'm too busy right now to play with my guinea pig." She peered at Tenchi through big eyes, turning to face him, trying to look as cuddly as possible. " I just need to ask a little favor from you." She hopped up and ran over to Tenchi, who recoiled in fear a little as she got closer, but after a few moments eased a little. Washu reached into a nearby wormhole and removed a small package.

" Certainly, Little Washu. What can I do?" Tenchi asked. And Washu handed him the package. She didn't ask anything, so Tenchi opened it.

Inside lay a small necklace and locket. The chain was made of pure gold, or at least gold looking, and the locket… Tenchi held it up, examining it as it shimmered in the light. It was just a flattened sphere, but its color was incredible. It was silver-ish rainbow color that never looked the same from one moment to the next.

" I just need you to give that to Ryoko. It's a little something I created in case Mara and Lufn comes back, or something else happens and I'm not there to help." Washu pushed it into his hand. " She's kind of upset with me because I told her if she didn't create lighthawk wings against the devils, you were going to die. So I need you to give it to her, to be sure she keeps it with her. Think you can manage that?" She smiled innocently, as Tenchi examined it one more time, closer. " I promise it's nothing bad." Tenchi nodded, putting it in his pocket.

" Okay, I'll make sure she gets it."

" And thinks it's a gift from you?"

" If it's really that important, I will. How does it work?" Tenchi asked.

" It will when it needs to, as long as Ryoko has it on her." Washu assured him. " Thank you, Tenchi. Bye bye now, I should be up for dinner." Tenchi nodded, and turned to leave. " As the door closed, Washu sprinted over to the control panel and jammed the lock button. A quick keystrokes later, the floor was rising again.

" Geez… Sorry to keep you waiting, ladies." From the floor, a square tank, kind of like a hamster aquarium, but divided in two, containing Mara and Lufn. Mara was up, angrily banging on the glass, but not making any sound through the sound proofed material. Lufn seemed have resigned herself to her fate. Sitting against one of the wall, with the flat expression only the damned can summon. She watched Washu lazily, occasionally banging her head against the wall miserably. Washu reached over to her console and flipped a switch, activating hidden microphones.

" Believe it or not, I'm actually kind of sorry for what's about to happen." She said, pulling on some latex medical gloves.

" Damn you!" Mara shouted, her voice echoing through the lab from the microphone. " What the are you going to do with us?"

" Just a little unethical experimentation." She smiled, wickedly. " I need a refresher course in magical systems design and defense in a hurry. It's been a while since I worked with them to the degree I need to know. And since I can't use the goddesses connection to Yggdrasil, you're connection to the demon world is the best I'm going to get." A large grapple claw positioned itself over the tank containing Mara, almost flexing itself in preperation.

" It might hurt a little, or a lot actually, when I start to decompile your software. But it can't be helped." She approached the tanks, a slight breeze tossing her long hair, picking up a small probe. But as she got closer, a change seemed to come over both of the devils. Mara stopped pounding the cell wall, while Lufn, still unmoving, turned stark white, and started banging her head against the wall harder.

" No." Mara said, " Not yet, not now." She fell to her knees, sliding down along the glass. " I'm too young to die." Washu blinked a few times, perplexed.

" I never said I was going to k…" she started but Mara started screaming.

" It wasn't my idea to mess with the royal family… It was hers!" Mara said, desperately pointing to Lufn. " It was all her idea. I didn't even want to go through with it. But she kept insisting, manipulating me." This got Lufn up, to her feet pounding on the glass separating them.

" What??? I was the one pleading for us to leave." She turned to face front. " You've got to believe me, it was my idea to Ayeka and Sasami in force fields to protect them. And I swear, if I had known about Tenchi and his grandfather, I would have put them in too. I just didn't know!" She was wild now, falling to her knees, begging with her hands together. " Don't kill me. I'll do anything you want. Do you want me to spy on the devils? I'll do it. I'll make a great spy! Just give me a chance."

" What are you TALKING about? I don't need a spy." Washu said. But they had both shut up. No, she noticed oddly, they weren't moving at all. Almost like… magic.

" Hello Washu." Said a new voice. Washu flinched, dropping the probe. It hit her foot, skittering across the floor with a surprising echo as the lab turned deadly silent. Washu's head turned around slowly to look behind her. A brief glance at the console confirmed the door was still locked. Not that Washu had really expected it to be unlocked. SHE wouldn't use doors.

" I haven't seen you for some time." Washu said, getting her first good look at her visitor. She looked exactly as she had, that night with Sasami. " How have you been… Tsunami?"


	17. Chapter 6: Falling Angels

Note: I don't own any of these characters (If I did, do you think I'd spend my time writing fanfics? Hell no. I'd spend all my time spending the profits I make from Tenchi Muyo and Ah! My goddess merchandise.) I'd be obscenely rich, as opposed to flat broke.

Authors note: I meant to mention this last time, but it slipped my mind. Due to negative feedback, I decided that the Mihoshi breaking the fourth wall was just not working. So I decided to remove it with the use of a Deus Ex Machina, in this case literally. If you don't know what one is, I'd suggest you google it. So that's gone now. Aside from that, though, most of the feedback has been pretty positive. Thank you all for reading and enjoying my work. And now, on with the show! Er… Fanfic.

Tenchi Muyo! Yggdrasil

Chapter 8: Falling Angels

" Is that everything?" Keiichi Morrisato said, taking one last look at the crates piled in the back of the Nekomi Institute Van. Belldandy came out of the Masaki house, carrying the last of it.

" I believe it is." She said, laying it the back. " Though a few things

are still missing from the explosion. I'm sorry Keiichi." Like everything else, the goddesses' bags were in the Masaki house when it was demolished by Mara and Lufn. Their things had been scattered around the area by the blast. The van hadn't been in to great a shape either. But they'd spent the previous day finding everything again (Everyone being Belldandy, Keiichi, Tenchi, and Peorth. The rest spent the day watching TV.)

" Don't worry about it. I think we have everything important." Keiichi said.

" If we find anything you're missing, we could have Tenchi mail it to you;" Peorth offered, sitting on the hood of the van. " or I could send it via Yggdrasil delivery.. Or have Washu wormhole it to you. Whichever's easier."

" I wouldn't worry about that…" Keiichi has sudden visions of half the house shifting to another dimension. But he shook them off. " I suppose that's it, I guess." He said, almost reluctant. " I guess it's time to leave."

" It's about time." An annoyed voice from the back seat called. " We should have been home hours ago." Keiichi wondered why, if Skuld was so eager to leave, she hadn't helped pack.

" Oh Keiichi." Peorth slipped off the van and hugged K1. " I'm going to miss you." She grasped him tighter, the shorter man about upper chest level to her. " Things will be so boring around here with you gone."

" From what Tenchi says, I don't think you'll be too bored." Keiichi suggested. " We need to get Urd first, anyway

" Skuld, why don't you go in and let her know. She should be watching TV inside." Belldandy asked her sweetly. Skuld popped open the door and started to get out. " Washu might be with her. You should say goodbye, and thank he for all the helps she's given you." Skuld slammed the door shut, and stubbornly still sat in the car with her arms crossed.

" If Washu still wanted to see me, she would still teach me." She said flatly. Keiichi sighed, and he went inside to get Urd.

" Is she still upset about that?" Peorth asked Belldandy quietly.

" Yes.." Belldandy sighed. " I can't convince her not to be angry. Miss Washu thinks I shouldn't try, since it will make things easier. But it hurts to see Skuld so angry at someone who just wants to help." Peorth listened, and bit her lip. " Maybe I should try one last time before we leave."

" Belldandy." Peorth said, looking at her, but also through her, as if she were deep in though. " I understand. But I think Washu knows what's best. If this is what she wants, I do would do it for her." Peorth said, serenely. Belldandy had noticed Peorth acting strange whenever she mentioned Washu, and stranger when she asked her about it, simply saying it just her imagination. Nothing seemed wrong, and she'd done a spell to make sure she wasn't under any sort of magical influence. She could only trust in Peorth.

At that moment, Keiichi left the house. Tenchi, as a good host, was close behind him. And Ryoko and Ayeka behind him. And Mihoshi, and Washu behind them. The whole crew, almost. From one of the bottom floor windows, a green, oozing tentacle waved back and forth as Phil wished them well. Ryoko almost absent mindedly toyed with a brand new necklace with one hand, tossing an occasional glance at Ayeka to make sure she saw her do it. Ayeka was acting her best, trying to make it clear it mattered nothing to her. But the occasional glance and her white knuckles reveled her true feelings.

Belldandy felt a slight twinge concern as she realized Sasami wasn't with them. She finally saw her, in an upper floor window, with a forlorn cabbit sitting on her head, looking melancholy, eyes downcast, with a hand touching the window, like she was trying to push through. It was disturbing, in a way.

" Thanks for having us, Tenchi." Urd said, sliding a little too close to him. " I hope we didn't cause too much trouble while we were here."

" It may seem bad, but it's really nothing out of the ordinary around here." Tenchi said, for perhaps the hundredth time. Then, looked around nervously. " In fact it's been pretty quiet around here lately."

" Tenchi…" Keiichi said, closing the back door. " Please don't jinx us."

" You're right." Tenchi grinned. " I won't mention it again."

" I guess it's about time for us to leave. If you're ever around us, remember to stop and say hello. I'll show you around NIT. I'm sure you'll find the motor club…" interesting." Keiichi said. " They're always looking for an excuse to party."

" It was a pleasure to meet you, Miss Belldandy, Miss Urd, Miss Skuld." Ayeka said, putting Ryoko aside for a moment. Undaunted, Ryoko began cuddling up to Tenchi. " It is an honor to meet associates of Holy Tsunami. I'm sure she is pleased with the fitting honor shown to Sasami, Lord Tenchi and I." She made a wicked aside to no one in particular in Ryoko's general direction. " " She couldn't resist the cheap shot. Ryoko ignored her completely, and that only get her angrier.

" Our pleasure, highness." Urd smiled innocently. She rapped lightly on the door of the car. " Skuld, maybe you should come out and say good bye. Your friend is out here." Skuld responded with a grumpy 'hmph!" Urd smiled again, this time through gritted teeth, evidently wishing she could punch through the window and drag her out, kicking and screaming. " I'm sure she wishes you well."

" Tenchi." Belldandy, now at Keiichi's side, bowed politely. " Thank you again for having us. I'm glad to have met you. You seem like wonderful people, and I could think of no one better for a Goddess first class to stay with. Please take good care of her." Peorth looked sternly at Tenchi, tapping her elegant foot impatiently.

" I don't think she'd have it any other way."

" And Tenchi, please don't hesitate to contact us if you need any help. Although I wouldn't worry about Mara and Lufn. I doubt they would come back," in the back, Washu grinned evilly. " But if they do, Yggdrasil will now be permanently monitoring the area for unusual energy readings."

" Really?" Mihoshi asked.

" I have the Almighty's personal assurance that you'll be under Yggdrasil's protection from now on." Urd Said. " Yggdrasil was pretty shaken up by demons using lighthawk wings. Especially with Jurain royalty here, they're going to want to make sure nothing happens here."

" Oh, ok." Mihoshi said, relieved, staring off into the distance. " I guess they're from Yggdrasil then. I was just wondering. Hello there!" She waved.

Seven sets of confused eyes followed her gaze off into the sky. It was almost hard to see them against the bright blue sky, but the sun reflecting brightly off highly polished armor made him shine in the sky, about 500 feet away and 100 feet up, floating in mid-air. The others were harder to see, since they weren't reflecting the sun, but they could see them now that they knew to look. At least two dozen. Tenchi noted, with a sick feeling, that they were completely encircling his house.

Realizing they'd lost the element of surprise, they spared no time. They flew straight at the people on the dock. A few gasped, but that was all they had time to do. Within seconds they were on them. The fastest ones received a nasty surprise, slamming against a force field in an imitation of a bird crashing against a window. The others hesitated a brief moment, to assess this surprise, and that's when they got their first look at their attackers.

They were mostly women but some were men; some were in flowing ornate white and blue robe; almost reminiscent of Peorth wore. Others, mostly the men, were dressed in plate armor of gold and silver. Some of the women were too, but most were wearing other things. All carried weapons of some kind, mostly swords, and battle-axes.

That was the only good look they would get.

" Spirit of the new morn, I call unto thee, Mist!" One shouted, even as the ones who'd crashed were getting back up. A deep, unnatural fog settled over the area outside the force field, turning the sunny day into a night in London. They could barely see out, and then only the faintest shadows moving outside.

" Who are these people?" Ayeka shouted over the sounds of battle. She could barely speak, at the moment concentrating on keeping the field up against occasional probing blows.

" Tenchi, I'm scared!" Washu cried out, though it wasn't from fear. " Hold me!" Tenchi jumped, startled as Washu grabbed a hold of his waist.

" Washu, please! Not now." He pried her arms off him, still trying to peer through the fog.

" Tenchi, what do we do in surprise as a lightning bolt hit the shield.

" Now they're assaulting us?" Ayeka asked.

" Belldandy, what's wrong?" It was Keiichi this time. It had taken him a moment to pry his gaze away from outside, to Belldandy. The goddess stared outside, looking pale. Urd and Peorth looked the same.

" More devils?" Tenchi twitched, looking out into the darkness.

" Great." Ryoko gritted her teeth, into a wicked grin.

" No. Not devils." Urd's mouth twitched, unable to look away from the fog. " At least I don't think so. I didn't get a good look, but it looked almost like the va…" She was cut off in midsentence by a deafening crack of thunder, and a blinding light. A few people cried out. Peorth observed calmly. " Perfect strategy. They can't hurt us, but they can keep us…" Another bolt drowned her out " …and disoriented while they figure out what…….going to do." She finished, blinking several times to rid herself of the spots.

" Ayeka, things can go through the field from this side, right?" Ryoko asked, holding her ears through another crash.   
" Yes." Ayeka huffed. She was sweating profusely, her eyes sagging. Obviously keeping up the field against this strong an assault was taking its toll on her. " Don't go out there. There's too many of them."

" I wasn't planning on it." Ryoko said, holding her hand out and extending her sword. " But if we can't see them, then they can't see us. And they can't see this." She hurled the sword through the field, and it disappeared. And then it exploded. She threw another and another before the shockwave from the first had even stopped, blindly out into the mist.

" Mihoshi, help her!" Tenchi asked. Mihoshi, remembering she had a gun, quickly pulled it out and started shooting blindly as well. Ayeka summoned Azaka and Kamidake to her, and they aided from outside. Skuld reached into her pocket and pulled out a Skuld Bomb. She was about to heave it when Urd plucked her hand. Urd peered into her eyes sternly, and shook her head 'no'.

They weren't sure it was working until an aerial explosion knocked an attacker from the skies, re bounding him off the field and back into the fog. The thick fog was lit up like a Christmas tree with all the energy blasts and lightning bolts, but the water in the air diffused the light too much, and visibility was still poor.

" No! Sasami!" Ayeka bellowed, exhaustion giving way to sheer panic on her face as she suddenly realized. " She's still outside. Someone has to go get her!"

" I'll do…" Ryoko started.

" No you stay here and distract them." Tenchi shouted, trying to rise above the noise. " I'll go in and get here. I need to get Tenchi-ken too, so I'll go." He looked around wildly, trying to figure out which way the house was before running out into the blinding mist.

" Too late." A quiet voice said. Urd turned away, grabbing Belldandy, Skuld and Keiichi and dragging them to the ground. " Get down!"

She knew what was coming. She'd seen it. One of Ryoko's blasts had shown her, clearing away the fog, creating a total vacuum actually, for a brief moment allowing light to pass and revealing the edge of an intricate program seal in the air. She'd known then, who it was attacking them. Not why, though. But they obviously wanted something inside the bubble.

Ayeka's force field was a creation of the power Jurai, but really it was magical power, the same as used by goddesses. It was through Tsunami's blessing alone that the mortals of the Royal family use. It's magical nature and exceeding strength could baffle attacks from almost any science known to man. But these were not men, and they knew magic very well. Powerful though it might be, they knew how it worked, and how it might be broken.

" Val Haid!" A dozen voices cried, beautiful but stern, carrying even over the sounds of battle. At that moment, a light appeared, shooting through the mist.

A golden staff, pointed at one end, with a ring at the other, surrounded by divine energy so bright it hurt the eyes, hit the force field soundlessly, hovering in mid air as it connected. It glowed even brighter as its magic decompositional subroutines activated. And then it was through. It hit the ground almost soundlessly at Tenchi's feet. He was the only one to react. It happened so fast, almost no one else had even noticed it. And they didn't have time then, as it exploded.

It took a moment for Tenchi to realize he was still conscious, and why. His lighthawk wings had protected him; but only him, as any more would have enveloped the staff as well. It hadn't exploded, Tenchi realized, because it was still there. Energy had exploded out of it. Shaking himself clear, he surveyed the damage. At first, he didn't see anyone else. But the fog began to clear, and he noticed them farther away. They'd all been knocked away by the force of the blast, landing awkwardly on the ground, unconscious; at least that was what Tenchi hoped. A few white feathers drifted to the ground around him. Only one other person still stood, thanks to her own lighthawk wings.

" Tenchi! Watch out!" Ryoko shouted, leaping from her own position. But an intricate blue fractal appeared between them, and if it couldn't hurt Ryoko, she couldn't get past it either. She went to fly over it, but in an instant she was under attack, and they deftly maneuvered her away from Tenchi. But Tenchi was hardly paying attention to that he'd already snapped around.

The mist had cleared away now, mostly, and he could see a good distance. Which was unfortunate, because an armor-clad figure was standing that far away.

" Who are you? What do you want?" Tenchi shouted, though it might have been to a wall. Without word, the figure raised his sword and flew low to the ground, straight at Tenchi. He took a step back, but his lighthawk wings reflexively folded into a better formation. Behind him, a dozen attackers were ferociously pressing Ryoko, making sure she could not help Tenchi. Why became clear when, to Tenchi's astonishment, midway through his flight, the figure became surrounded by three light blue objects; his own lighthawk wings, Tenchi realized. Before he could do anything else, his opponent had crossed the distance between them. With the flash of light, the six light hawk wings met each other, cancelled each other out, and the world went black.

It had been said by some that it would be better to serve in Heaven then rule in Hell. The current ruler of Hell, Daimakaicho Hild would probably disagree. Maybe because it wasn't hell in the classical, fire and brimstone, suffering eternal sense. It wasn't even all that hot. It was better described as comfortably warm. It was only called hell because of it opposed heaven. Its official name was demon central, or Nidheg.

It was from here that devils like Mara and Lufn, as well as the more successful ones, received their orders. And more often then not those orders came from Hild. She'd been the ruler of Nidheg since the very beginning. The Earth system was a model for efficiency and success, Mara and Lufn aside, and it was in all parts due to her brilliant leadership. In heaven and hell, Hild was a name that was feared and respected.

Right now Hild was reclining in the sitting room of the Devil Palace, in a comfortably stuffed chair, legs crossed, her attention fixed on a small piece of paper. Her familiar looking face, scrunched intently. Her tan skin and wild white hair a bit muted in the dark room. Tapping her pencil lightly against her chin, every few moments she would write something down, frown in annoyance, and erase it.

" What's a four letter word ending in Y that means very fine grained dirt?" She said calmly. Her eyes rose from the crossword puzzle, to see her new arrival. He'd arrived soundlessly, floating several inches above the ebony marble floor. And to his credit, he'd been there for few moments, hands in the pocket of his jacket, before she'd noticed him. To be able to get within feet of the queen of devils… Truly, he was fit to serve Her.

" Clay." He said it like it was some joke to him, with a twinkle in his purple eye. She wrote it down (it fit perfectly), and set the paper aside on a nearby table. Leaning back into the chair, she smiled at him. A friendly smile, open, yet somehow she made it seem predatory, and darkness seemed to envelop her. Unphased, her guest floated to the ground, adjusting his green hair with a hand.

" Now what does Milady want with me?" She said.

" We've learned something troubling. A few hours ago, Earth's Yggdrasil learned the location of the goddess Washu. They moved against her almost immediately."

" Earth?" She was HERE?" Hild's masked dropped for but a moment, and she could only stare wide-eyed in shock. She said, a bit angrier. " Why wasn't I informed of this? Earth is my jurisdiction, after all."

" We just learned this recently ourselves. She didn't inform you because She was seeking quieter methods of extracting her." He said, with a slight frown.

" Which didn't work." She completed, seriously contemplating this new turn of events. He nodded. " And now they have her." He nodded again.

" I was sent the moment we received word." He turned his head away away, folding his arms. " We don't know exactly what they're planning to do with her, but they have shut down all communications into and out of their system. No information is going in or out."

" I see." She mused. " What about Tsunami though? How is she responding to this?"

" She hasn't made any movements yet. We're not even certain if she's aware of it. Their communications blackout was immediate." He said. Hild barely suppressed a laugh.

" So they're not going to tell her. Now why might that be?" She asked, grinning. " It's almost fitting. I wish I could see the look on her face when she finds out it's happening again. Send a message to the Her. Inform Her I'll take care of the situation immediately." She stood up and was face to face with him in a few steps. " And will you be staying for the event?"

" I have my orders." He smiled. " For the moment, I am yours to command."

" Good. We have work to do, then."


End file.
